In this voyadge wee may see by the globe that wee are not to passe

throughe the frozen seas, but in a temperate climate unto a contrie muche

like to those partes of Gascoigne and Guyen, where heretofore our nation

for a longe tyme have inhabited. And it requireth not, as longe voyadges

doe, the takinge in of freshe water by the way in divers places, by reason

it may be sailed in five or sixe weekes. Whereby the marchante nede [not]

to expecte twoo or three yeres for one returne, as in the voyadge of Sir

Fraunces Drake, of Fenton and William Hawkins; but may receave twoo

returnes every yere in the selfe same shippes, I saye, and well repose

themselves at their arryvalls; which thinge I myselfe have seene and

understoode in Ffraunce this presente yere don by the Frenchemen; whoe,

settinge furthe in January, broughte their bancke fishe which they tooke

on the Bancke, forty or three-score leagues from Newefoundelande, to Roan,

in greate quantitie, by the ende of May, and afterwarde retained this yere

againe to the fisshinge, and are looked for at home towardes the fifte of

November. To the spedy perfourmaunce of which voyadge this is a speciall

furtheraunce: that whereas moste of our other voyadges of like lengthe

require twoo or three sortes of windes at the leaste, one onely winde

suffiseth to make this; which was no doubte the cause of the quicke

returne of my frende Stephen Bellinger of Roan, whoe departed from

Newhaven in January was twelve moneths, arryved at Cape Briton in xxii

daies space, and from thence discouered very diligently CC. leagues

towardes Norumbega, and had traficque with the people in tenne or twelue

places; founde a towne conteyninge fourescore houses, and returned home,

with a diligent description of the coaste, in the space of foure monethes,

with many comodities of the contrie, which he shewed me.

Moreover this passage is neither by the Straites of Giberaulter, nor on

the coastes of Spaine, Portingall, Fraunce nor Flaunders, neither by the

Sounde of Denmarke, nor Wardhouse in Norwey: so as in takinge our course

on the highe seas wee shall not be in daunger of the corsaries in the

Levant, nor of the gallies of Barbarie, nor of the Turke, nor of any state

of Italie, neither of the Spaniarde, the Frenche, nor the Dane, nor of any

other prince nor potentate within the Sounde in the northe, or in the

northeaste partes of the worlde.

Wee may also trauell thither and perfourme the same at all tymes of the

yere, with the like facilitie as our marchantes of Bristowe, Weymouthe,

and other partes of the West Contries travell for woade to the iles of St.

Mighell and Tercera (which are halfe the way thither) all the yere longe.

For this coaste is never subjecte to the ise, which is never lightly seene

to the southe of Cape Razo in Newfounde lande.

Besides this, in our way as wee passe to and froe, wee shall have in

tempestes and other necessities the portes of Ireland to our aide, and no

nerer coaste of any enemye. Moreover by the ordinary entercourse wee may

annoye the enemyes to Ireland, and succour the Queens Majesties faithfull

subjects, and drawe the Irishe by little and little to more civilitie, and

in shorte tyme wee may yelde them from the coastes of America whatsoever

comodities they nowe receave at the handes of the Spaniardes. So the

Spaniardes shall wante the ordinarye victualls they receave every yere

from thence, whereby they cannot contynue traficque, nor fall so aptly to

practize againste our governmente there as heretofore by their trade

thither they have don and doe daily, to the greate expences of her

Majestie, and no small indaungeringe and troublinge of our state.

And to conclude: in tradinge to these contries wee shall not nede, for

feare of the Spanishe bloudy Inquisition, to throwe our bibles and prayer

bookes over boorde into the sea before our arryvall at their portes, as

these many yeres wee have don and yet doe, nor take suche horrible oathes

as are exacted of our men by the Spanishe searchers, to suche dayly

wilfull and highe offence of Almightie God, as we are driven to

continually in followinge our ordinary trafficque into the Kinge of

Spaines dominyons; whereof at large wee have spoken before in the seconde

chapiter.

Chap. XIII. That hereby the revenewes and customes of Her Majestie, bothe

outewarde and inwarde, shall mightily be inlarged by the toll, excises,

and other dueties which withoute expression may be raysed.

The manifolde testimonies, verbatim alleaged by me in the thirde chapiter,

of John Ribault, John Verarsanus, Stephen Gomes, Vasques de Coronado,

Jaques Cartier, Gasper Corterialis, and others, which all were the

discoverers of the coaste and inlande of America betwene 30 and 63

degrees, prove infallibly unto us that golde, silver, copper, perles,

pretious stones, and turqueses, and emraldes, and many other commodities,

have bene by them founde in those regions. To which testimonies I shoulde

have added many more yf I had not feared to be tedious. Nowe the fyfte

parte of all these aforenamed comodities cannot choose but amounte to a

greate matter, beinge yerely reserved unto her Majestie, accordinge to the

tenor of the patent graunted by King Henry the Seaventh in the xj’th. yere

of his raigne to John Gabote and his three sonnes, Lewes, Sebastian, and

Sancius; the wordes whereof it shoulde not be amisse here to sett downe,

as they are printed in my booke of voyadges. These are the wordes: Ex

omnibus fructibus, proficuis, emolumentis commodis, lucris, et

obuentionibus ex huiusmodi nauigatione prouenientibus, prefatus Joannes et

filij ac heredes et eorum deputati teneantur, et sint obligati nobis pro

omni viagio suo toties quoties ad portum nostrum Bristolliæ applicuerint

(ad quem omnino applicare teneantur et sint astricti), deductis omnibus

sumptibus et impensis necessarijs per eosdem factis, quintam partem

capitalis lucri facti, siue in mercibus, siue in pecuniis, persoluere.(76)

What gaines this imposition may turne unto the Crowne of England in shorte

tyme wee may more then gesse, havinge but an eye to the Kinge of Spaines

revenewes, which he nowe hath out of all his domynions in all the West

Indies.

The like in all respectes may be saied of the revenewes of the Crowne of

Portingale, which, beinge of itselfe one of the smallest and poorest

kingdomes of all Christendome, became in shorte space so riche and

honourable soone after their entringe into their southesterne discoveries,

traficques, and conquestes, that, before the deathe of their late younge

kinge Sebastian, their embassadors woulde strive and chalenge for the

chefest place with the embassadores of the greatest kinges of

Christendome; as I have hearde it dyvers tymes spoken at Paris at my

lordes table by men of greate honour and experience, in which citie moste

princes and states of Christendome have their embassadors comonly

resident.

To leave them and to come to our nation, I say that amonge other meanes to

encrease her Majesties customes this shalbe one, especially that by

plantinge and fortifieinge nere Cape Briton, what by the strengthe of our

shipps beinge harde at hande, and bearinge the sway already amongest all

nations that fishe at Newfoundelande, and what by the fortes that there

may be erected and helde by our people wee shall be able to inforce them,

havinge no place els to repaire unto so convenient, to pay us soche a

contynual custome as shall please us to lay upon them; which imposition of

twoo or three hundred shippes laden yerely with sondry sortes of fish,

trane oyle, and many kyndes of furres and hides, cannot choose but amounte

to a greate matter, beinge all to be levied upon straungers. And this not

onely wee may exacte of the Spaniardes and Portingales, but also of the

Frenche men, our olde and auncient enemyes. What shoulde I speake of the

customes of the greate multitudes of course clothes, Welshe frise, and

Irishe ruggs, that may be uttered in the more northerly partes of the

lande amonge the Esquimawes of the Grande Bay, and amonge them of Canada,

Saguynay, and Hochelaga, which are subjecte to sharpe and nippinge

winters, albeit their somers be hotter moche then oures. Againe, the

multitudes of small yron and copper workes, wherewith they are exceedingly

delighted, wilt not a little encrease the customes, being transported oute

of the lande. I omitt the rehersall of a thousande other trifinge wares,

which, besides they may sett many women, children, and ympotent persons on

worke in makinge of them, woulde also helpe to the encreasinge of the

customes. Lastly, whatsoever kind of commodyties shoulde be broughte from

thence by her Majesties subjectes into the realme, or be thither

transported oute of the realme, cannot choose but inlarge the revenewes of

the Crowne very mightely, and inriche all sortes of subjectes in

generally.

Chap. XIV. That this action will be for the greate increase,

mayneteynaunce, and safetie of our navie, and especially of greate

shippinge, which is the strengthe of our realme, and for the supportation

of all those occupations that depende upon the same.

In the Statutes moste providently ordeyned for increase and maineteynaunce

of our navigation in the Raignes of Kinge Richarde the Seconde, Kinge

Henry the Seaventh, Kinge Henry the Eighth, and her Majestie that nowe ys,

thoughe many and sundry rewardes were proposed to encourage our people

unto the sea, yet still I fynde complaintes of decaye of the navye,

notwithstanding so many goodly priviledges to mayneteine fisshermen, the

ordeyninge of Wendisday to be a newe fishe day for the better utteraunce

of their fishe that they shoulne take at sea, yea, albeit there hath bene

graunted a certene proportionable allowaunce oute of the exchequer to

suche as woulde builde any shippes of burden to serve the prince in tyme

of warr, yet very little hath bene done in that behalfe. For, setting the

Citie of London aparte, goe your waye into the west parte of England and

Wales, and search howe many shippes of CC. tonnes and upwardes those

partes can afforde, and you shall finde (God wotteth) no such nomber as at

firste you did ymagine. At this day I am assured there are scarce twoo of

CC. tones beloninge to the whole citie of Bristowe, and very fewe or none

of the like burden alonge the channell of the Severne from Glocester to

the Landes Ende on the one side, and Milforde Haven on the other. Nowe,

remedie this greate and unknowen wante, no enterprise possibly can be

devised more fitt to increase our great shippinge then this Westerne

fortifienge and planting. For in this action wee are not to cut over the

narrowe seas, in a day or a nighte, betwene Flaunders, Fraunce, or

Ireland, in small barkes of xx. or xxx’ti. tonnes; but wee are to passe

over the breste of the maine ocean, and to lye at sea a moneth or six

weekes together, whereby wee shall be constrayned of our selves, withoute

chardginge of the Prince, to builde greate shippes, as well to avoide the

daunger of tempest as also for the commoditie of portage, whereunto the

greater shippes in longe voyadges are moste conveniente, which the

Portingales and Spaniardes have founde oute by longe experience, whoe for

that cause builde shippes of v. vj. vij. viij. C. and a M. tonnes, to

sende into their Easterne and Westerne Indies.

The like whereof wee shalbe the rather invited to doe, since by this

voyadge wee shall have many thinges for little or nothinge, that are

necessarie for the furniture of greate shippinge. For beinge possessed of

Newfounde lande, which the last yere was seazed upon in her Majesties

name, wee may have tarr, rosen, mastes, and cordage for the very

workemanshippe of the same. All which comodities cannot choose but

wonderfully invite our men to the buildinge of greate shippinge,

especially havinge store of the best shipwrights of the worlde, whereof

some, for wante of employmente at home, have bene driven to flye into

forren partes, as into Demarke. Moreover, in the judgemente of those that

are experte in sea causes, yt will breed more skillfull, connynge, and

stowte pilott and maryners then other belonginge to this lande. For it is

the longe voyadges (so they be not to excessive longe, nor throughe

intemperate clymates, as those of the Portingales into their West Indies)

that harden seamen, and open unto them the secretes of navigation; the

nature of the windes; the currentes and settinge of the sea; the ebbinge

and flowinge of the mayne ocean; the influence of the sonne, the moone,

and of the rest of the celestiall planetts, and force which they have at

sondry seasons upon that mightie body; whiche skill in sea causes the

Emperour Charles the Fyfte, knowinge howe mooche yt did (M244) ymporte his

state, to the intent that it mighte better encrease amongest the

Spaniardes, in great providence erected a lecture of the arte of

navigation in Civill, and ordeyned that no man shoulde take chardge to the

West Indies that had not hearde the Reader of the same for a certaine

space, and, upon due examynation, were allowed as sufficient by him, and

others adjoyded unto him as assistantes to examyn matters of experience;

which order, if it had bene established in England, such grosse and

insufficient felowes as he that caste away the Admirall of Sir Humfreyes

company, with an C. persons in her, to the west of Newfounde lande, this

tyme twelve moneths, had not bene admittted to take so greate a chardge.

But to returne to the increase and mayneteynaunce of our shippes and

shippmen; I say that this is not as the voyadge to Muscovy, which is open

not paste foure monethes, but may be passed and repassed at our pleasure

at all tymes of the yere, and so our maryners may be sett on worke all the

yere longe. Neither is the trade likely to prove so small as that of

Muscovy, wherein not past tenne shippes at the moste are employed ones a

yere. For here there is a greate hope, the contrie beinge as bigge as all

Europe, and nothinge in frutefulnes inferior to yt, as I have proved

before at large in the thirde chapiter, that wee shall have twoo fleetes

as bigge as those of the Kinge of Spaine to his West Indies, imployed

twise in the yere at the leaste, especially after our fortifienge in the

contrie, the certene place of our factory beinge there established;

whereby yt muste nedes come to passe that our navye shalbe mightely

increased and mayneteyned, which will not onely be a chefe strengthe and

suertie in tyme of warres, as well to offende as defende, but will also be

the mayneteynaunce of many masters, maryners, and seamen, whereby they

their wyves, and children, shall have their lyvinges, and many cities,

townes, villages, havens, and creeks nere adjoyninge unto the sea coaste,

and the Queenes subjectes, as brewers, bowchers, smithes, ropers,

shipwrights, tailors, shoemakers, and other victuallers and handicraftes

men, inhabitinge and dwellinge nere thereaboutes, shall also have by the

same greate parte of their lyvinge. For proofe thereof wee nede not to

seeke any further then unto oure neighbours of Spaine and Portingale;

whoe, since the firste discoverie of their Indies, have not onely mightely

inlarged their domynions, marvellously enriched themselves and (M245)

their subjectes, but have also by juste accompte trebled the nomber of

their shippes, masters, and maryners,—a matter of no small moment and

importance; insomoche that nowe, of late Kinge Phillippe hath made the

Marques de la Cruz, which laste yere wonne Tercera, Graunde Admirall of

the Ocean Sea, and Prince d’Oria of Genoa, Admirall in the Levant. A taste

of this increase wee have had in our owne selves, even by our trade of

fisshinge in Newfoundelande; which, as yt is well knowen, hath bene

occasion, that in sondry places of this realme divers tall shippes have

bene builte and sett furthe even of late daies; and more would be if,

whereas nowe havinge but twoo moneths or tenne weekes of fisshinge, by

this newe plantinge they mighte be drawen more south-westerly, where the

speciall fisshing places are, bothe for plentie and greateness of fishe;

and beinge oute of daunger and ympedimente of yse, they mighte fishe there

safely the greatest parte of the yere, and by their nereness unto our

fortes there, builte aboute Cape Briton, they mighte yelde succour unto

them, and likewise by their neighbourhoode be themselves in more

securitie.

(M246) Fynally, their shippes, their goodds, and their persons shoulde not

be subjecte to soodden arrestes of straungers, as they are in all other

trades of Christendome; but shoulde enjoye as greate freedome, libertie,

and securitie as they usually doe in their native contrie; the havens,

townes, and villages in those partes beinge occupied and possessed by

their fellowe subjects; which freedome and liberty will greatly incourage

them to contynewe constantly in this newe traficque.

Chap. XV. That spedie plantinge in divers fitt places is moste necessarie

upon these laste luckye westerne discoveries, for feare of the danger of

beinge prevented by other nations which have the like intention, with the

order thereof, and other reasons therewithall alleaged.

Havinge by Gods goodd guidinge and mercifull direction atchieved happily

this presente westerne discoverye, after the seekinge the advauncemente of

the kingedome of Christe, the seconde chefe and principall ende of the

same is traficque, which consisteth in the vent of the masse of our

clothes and other comodities of England, and in receaving backe of the

nedeful comodities that wee nowe receave from all other places of the

worlde. But forasmoche as this is a matter of greate ymportaunce, and a

thinge of so greate gaine as forren princes will stomacke at, this one

thinge is to be don, withoute which it were in vaine to goe aboute this;

and that is, the matter of plantinge and fortificacion, withoute due

consideration whereof in vaine were it to thinck of the former. And

therefore upon the firste said viewe taken by the shippes that are to be

sente thither, wee are to plante upon the mouthes of the greate navigable

rivers which are there, by stronge order of fortification, and there to

plante our colonies. And so beinge firste setled in strengthe with men,

armour, and munition, and havinge our navy within our bayes, havens, and

roades, wee shall be able to lett the entraunce of all subjectes of forren

princes, and so with our freshe powers to encounter their shippes at the

sea, and to renewe the same with freshe men, as the soodden feightes shall

require; and by our fortes shalbe able to holde faste our firste footinge,

and readily to annoye suche weary power of any other that shall seke to

arryve; and shalbe able with our navye to sende advertisemente into

England upon every soodden whatsoever shall happen. And these

fortifications shall kepe the naturall people of the contrye in obedience

and goodd order. And these fortes at the mowthes of those greate portable

and navigable ryvers may at all tymes sende upp their shippes, barkes,

barges, and boates into the inland with all the comodities of England, and

returne unto the said fortes all the comodities of the inlandes that wee

shall receave in exchange, and thence at pleasure convey the same into

England. And thus settled in those fortes, yf the nexte neighboures shall

attempte any annoye to our people, wee are kepte safe by our fortes; and

wee may, upon violence and wronge offred by them, ronne upon the rivers

with our shippes, pynnesses, barkes, and boates, and enter into league

with the petite princes, their neigbboures, that have alwayes lightly

warres one with an other, and so entringe league nowe with the one, and

then with the other, wee shall purchase our owne safetie, and make

ourselves lordes of the whole.

Contrarywise, withoute this plantinge in due tyme, wee shall never be able

to have full knowledge of the language, manners, and customes of the

people of those regions, neither shall wee be able thoroughly to knowe the

riches and comodities of the inlandes, with many other secretes whereof as

yet wee have but a small taste. And althoughe by other meanes wee mighte

attaine to the knowledge thereof, yet beinge not there fortified and

strongly seated, the French that swarme with multitude of people, or other

nations, mighte secretly fortifie themselves before us, hearinge of the

benefite that is to be reaped of that voyadge; and so wee shoulde beate

the bushe and other men take the birdes; wee shoulde be at the chardge and

travell, and other men reape the gaine.

To make this plaine by example, in the sixte leafe of the Italian edition

of the Historie of Fernando Cortes, written by Franciscus Lopez de Gomera,

is lively described the folly of John Grijalua for his not inhabitinge

that goodd and riche contrie of Iucaton; which ymmediatly after he had

neglected, the same Fernando Cortes tooke in hande and perfourmed, and

gott all the honour and comoditie from him, leaving greate wealthe and

honour to his posteritie, and to himself an everlastinge name. The story

is thus: Giouan di Grigalua se n’ando a Yucatan, combattete con quelli

Indiani di Ciapoton, et se ne ritorne ferito; entro nel fiume di Tauasco,

che per questo si chiama ora Grijalua, nel qual riscatto o cambio per cose

di poca valuta molto oro, robbe di cottone, et bellissime cose di penne;

stette in San Giouanni di Vilhua, piglio possessione di quel paese per il

Re, in nome del Gouernatore, Diego Velasquez: et cambio la sua merciaria

per pezzi di oro, coperte di cottone et penne; et si hauesse conosciuto la

uentura sua, haueria fatto populatione in paese cosi ricco, come lo

pregauano li suoi compagni et lui saria stato quello che dipoi il Cortes.

Ma tanta uentura non era riseruata per chi non la conosceua ancora che si

scusaua che lui non andaua per populare, se non per riscattare o permutare

le cose che leuaua del Gouernatore; et discoprire se quella terra di

Yucatan era isola o terra ferma. And if any man liste to knowe what

intertainment he had of his uncle at his returne for not inhabitinge upon

the present occasion, yt followeth in the ende of the same chapiter in

these wordes: Et quando arriuo non lo uolse uedere il Gouernatore suo zio,

che li fece quello che lui meritaua.

The like story wee have, fol. 298. of Franciscus Lopez de Gomera his

Generall Historie of the West Indies, of Vasques de Coronado, which, after

excedinge greate chardges bestowed for royall furnishinge furthe upon his

voyadge to Ceuola and Quiuira, for wante of courage and for other priuate

respectes, neglected plantinge there, had as colde welcome, at his

dastardly and unconsiderate returne, of Don Antonio de Mendoza, viceroy of

Mexico, as Grijalua had of his uncle above mentioned. It is written thus

of him after his returne from Quiuira:—

Cascò del cauallo in Tiguez Francisco Vasquez, e con il colpo usci di

ceruello et disuariaua; questo caso alcuni credettero che fusse finto,

altri n’hebbero grandissimo dolore; quelli che l’intendeuano a mala parte

stauano male con lui per che non si metteua a popolare. And a little

afterwarde: molto dispiacque a Don Antonio di Mendoza che fusero

ritornati, per che haueua speso piu di sessanta milla pesi d’oro in quella

impresa ... molti uolsero restare là, ma Francesco Vasquez di Coronado,

che ricco era et nuouamente maritato con vna bellissima donna, non volse,

dicendo che non si poteriano sustentarsi ne difendere in cosi povero paesa

et tanto lontani del soccorso; caminarono presso a tre milla miglia di

longo in questa giornata.

Notwithstandinge these colourable excuses and dispraisinges of the

contrie, yt is described by relation of his owne companions in this manner

in the same leafe: à Quiuira in quaranta gradi à paesa temperato, di

bonissime acque, di molto herbatico, purgne, more, noci, et melloni, et

vue che maturano benissimo; non c’à cottone, et vestono pelle di vacche e

caprioli.

The greate inconvenience of the delaye and neglecte of plantinge with

spede of goodd contries newe discoured, beinge well weyed and foreseene by

John Ribault, made him to plante and fortefie at his firste voyadge,

thoughe it were with but thirtie men; which, that you may the better

understande, together with the wise course and choice of place which

oughte to be had in plantinge and seatinge at the firste, I will alleage

his owne wordes which are in the laste leafe of his firste printed

voyadge: Wherefore (my lorde), saith he, I truste you will not thincke it

amisse (consideringe the comodities that may be broughte thence) yf we

leave a nomber of men there, which may fortifie and provide themselves of

thinges necessiarie; for in all newe discoveries it is the chefest thinge

that may be don, at the begynnynge to fortifie and people the contrie. I

had not so soone set furthe this to our companie, but many of them offred

to tary there; yea, with suche a goodd will and jolly courage, that suche

a nomber did offer themselves as wee had moche to doe to stay their

opportunitie; and namely, of our shippe masters and pilotts, and suche as

wee woulde not spare. Howebeit, wee lefte there but to the nomber of 30

men in all, gentlemen, souldiers, and maryners, and that at their owne

sute and prayer, and of their owne free willes, and by the advice and

deliberation of the gentlemen sent on the behalfe of the Prince and yours.

And I have lefte unto them for heade and ruler, followinge therein your

pleasure, Capitaine Albert de la Pierria, a souldier of longe experience,

and the firste that from the begynnynge offred to tary; and further, by

their advise, choice, and will, inscaled and fortified them in an iland on

the northe side thereof, a place of stronge scituation and commodious,

upon a river which wee named Chenonceau, and the habitation and fortres,

Charles Forte. After wee had instructed and duly admonished them of what

they should doe (as well for their manner of procedinge, as for the goode

and lovinge behaviour of them), the xj’th. day of the moneth of June last

paste wee departed from Porte Royall, &c.

(M247) Nowe, to leave the Spaniardes and Frenche and to come to ourselves;

seinge it hath pleased Almightie God at this instant to reveale unto her

Majestie and the realme that once againe afreshe which was in part

discovered by Sebastian Gabote and other this lande to her moste famous

grandfather, Kinge Henry the Seaventh, was then lefte of and caste aside

and not sufficiently regarded by occasion of the warres of Scotland, as

Sebastian himself writes, and so hath bene intermitted for the space of

aboute foure score and sixe yeares—if nowe the Queene, her Counsell, and

other subjectes, shall never so little delaye the throughe managinge of

the cause and enteringe effectually into the action, let them assure

themselves that they will come to late, and a day after the faire; ffor as

the wise man saieth, _Post est occasio calva_. (M248) For, to speake

nothinge of the laste yeres preparation of the Marques de la Roche to

inhabite and plante in those partes nowe discovered by oure men, which

preparation was luckely overthrowne in respecte of us, by reason that his

greatest shippe was cast away upon the trauers of Burwage, the men of St.

John de Luze sente the laste yere to solicite the Frenche Kinge and his

Counsell to plante there. And nowe our neighboures, the men of St Maloe in

Brytaine, in the begynnynge of Auguste laste paste of this yere 1584. are

come home with five shippes from Canada and the contries upp the Bay of

St. Lawrence, and have brought twoo of the people of the contrie home, and

have founde suche swete in that newe trade that they are preparinge tenne

shippes to returne thither in January nexte, as one John de la Marche and

Mr. Pryhouse of Garnesey affirme; which Mr. Pryhouse, beinge yet in

London, was at St. Malowe within these weekes, and sawe the twoo savages,

the five shippes, and the riche comodities, and understoode of the greate

preparation, and lieth nowe at London, in Philpott lane, at the stone

house there.

And that it may be knowen that not onely the Frenche affecte this

enterprise, but even the Duche longe since thoughte of yt, I can assure

you that Abraham Ortelius, the great geographer, told me, at his laste

beinge in England, 1577. that if the warres of Flaunders had not bene,

they of the Lowe Contries had meant to have discovered those partes of

America, and the north west straite, before this tyme. And yt semed that

the chefe cause of his comynge to England was to no other ende, but to

prye and looke into the secretes of Ffrobishers voyadge; for yt was even

then, when Ffrobisher was preparinge for his first returne into the north

west.

To conclude: yf wee doe procrastinate the plantinge (and where our men

have nowe presently discovered, and founde it to be the best parte of

America that is lefte, and in truthe more agreable to our natures, and

more nere unto us, than Nova Hispania), the Frenche, the Normans, the

Brytons, or the Duche, or some other nation, will not onely prevente us of

the mightie Baye of St. Lawrence, where they have gotten the starte of us

already, thoughe wee had the same revealed to us by bookes published and

printed in Englishe before them,(77) but also will depriue us of that

goodd lande which nowe wee have discovered. Which if they doe (as God

defende they shoulde), then it falleth oute that wee shall have our

enemyes or doubtfull frendes rounde aboute us, and shall not onely loose a

singular comoditie and inestymable benefite, but also incurr greate

daunger and inconvenience in sufferinge Papistes, by plantinge rounde

aboute us, to take from us all succours, and to lett them enriche

themselves under our noses, to be better able to supplant or overronne us.

Chap. XVI. Meanes to kepe this enterprise from overthrowe, and the

enterprisers from shame and dishonour.

Euery newe enterprise is in the begynnyinge burdenous, chardgeable, and

heavie, and moste comonly hath many greate enemies; which is the cause

that many goodd men, much affected to their contrie in wittie excellent

enterprises, sincke and fainte under their burden. And because that this

enterprise which wee have in hande or in purpose (besides that it is much

maliced, specially by our mightie faction of the Papistes), is an

enterprize that requireth, beside the favour of the Prince, no small

chardge; therefore wee are to devise howe the burden may leste tyme reste

on the backe of the bearer of the same, that he sincke not under the same,

but that he maye stande upp in full strengthe, and goe throughe with ease,

fame, and profitt, withoute shame of all the bymedlers and fauters of the

same. And entred into consideration hereof, this cometh to mynde: that the

firste chardge of the navye to be admitted as for the present deade

chardge for the tyme, howe supply of the chardges followinge may be

mayneteyned and borne; for in that standeth one greate matter that

ymporteth honour, credite, profite, and the whole sequele of the

enterprize.

Wee are induced by late plaine examples of the Frenche, that have

traficqued in those partes with greate profite, to beleve that upon our

plantinge wee shall as yt were defraye as well the firste chardges as the

chardges followinge, by the comodities in trafficque that wee shall

receave by passinge into the inland by river and otherwise. But admittinge

the worse, that the people will neither receave our comodities nor yelde

us theirs againe, then wee are to devise of ourselves howe wee may

otherwise at the firste countervaile our chardges, and become greate

gayners, will or nill the naturall inhabitantes of those regions or

others; and that is, by enjoyinge certaine naturall comodities of the

landes infinitely aboundinge, in no accompts with them and with us of

greate price, which is this way to be broughte aboute.

The soiles there upon the seacoaste, and all alonge the tracte of the

greate broade mightie ryvers, all alonge many hundreth miles into the

inland, are infinitely full fraughte with swete wooddes of ffyrr, cedars,

cypres, and with divers other kindes of (M249) goodly trees; and settynge

upp mylles to sawe them, suche as be common in Poland and in all the north

easte regions, wee may with spede possesse infinite masses of boordes of

these swete kindes, and these frame and make ready to be turned into

goodly chestes, cupboordes, stooles, tables, deskes, &c., upon the

returne. And consideringe the present wante of tymber in the realme, and

howe derely the cipres chestes are solde that come from the ilandes of the

Levant seas, and lately from the Azores, to Bristoll and the westerne

havens, these may be bothe amply and derely vented in all the portes of

the realme and of the realmes adjoyninge, consideringe that in this age

every man desireth to fill his house with all manner of goodd furniture.

So that were there no other peculiar comodities, this onely, I say, were

ynoughe to defraye all the chardges of all the begynnynge of the

enterprize, and that oute of hande; for suche mylwrightes may easely be

procured from suche places where they abounde, and some suche (possible)

be in England; for I have herde of a frende of myne, that one suche mill

within these xxx yeres was sett upp in Worcestshere by a knighte of that

contrie. And one man onely were able to directe a thousande of our common

milwrightes in that trade; and carpinters and joyners, the realme may

spare thousandes for a nede.

And with like ease and shortenes of time wee may make of the woodes there

pitch and tarr, which are thinges fitt for our navie, and marchandizes of

goodd vente and of comon neede.

And with like ease wee may make of the wooddes there plentie of sope

asshes, a comoditie very dere and of greate and ample vente with us, and

elsewhere in forren kingdomes of Europe. Also wee may there prepare for

pikes, chasinge staves, oares, halberts, and the like for cullen cleftes

for sundry uses, &c. And also wee may there, withoute payeng for the same,

have tymber to builde greate navies, and may bringe them into this realme,

and have goodd sale of the same.

All this, I say, may be broughte to passe if wee wisely plante, upon our

arryvall, aboute the mouthes of greate rivers and in the ilandes of the

same; and so wee shall have the starte before the Frenche and all others;

and our people, sente thither for the purposes aforesaide, shall be ready

to man our shippes to give repulse at the firste to all suche as shall

come thither to sett foote to our annoye.

Thus all thinges removed that mighte bringe discouragemente, the firste

that tooke the enterprise in hande have wonne greate honour and highe

estymation with all degrees in England, and, havinge by these former

meanes wonne to defraye all the chardges of the brunte off the enterprise,

they stande full able to followe the same withoute cravinge aide of the

lingringe marchaunte, and have the possibilitie onely to themselves of the

trades of traficque with the people, which they may bringe aboute eyther

with curtesie, or by pollicie and force, as by joyninge now with this

petite kinge, and nowe with that, &c.

And this once plainely founde and noted in England, what noble man, what

gentleman, what marchante, what citezen or contryman, will not offer of

himselfe to contribute and joyne in the action, forseeinge that the same

tendeth to the ample vent of our clothes, to the purchasinge of riche

comodities, to the plantinge of younger brethren, to the employment of our

idle people, and to so many noble endes? And greate joyninge in

contribution upon so happy begynnynges geveth abilitie to fortifie, to

defende all forren force in divers comodious places even at the firste.

Chap. XVII. That by these colonies the north west passage to Cathaio and

China may easely, quickly, and perfectly be searched oute as well by river

and overlande as by sea; for proofe whereof here are quoted and alleaged

divers rare testymonies oute of the three volumes of voyadges gathered by

Ramusius, and other grave authors.

In the thirde volume of Nauigations and Voyadges, gathered and translated

into Italian by Mr. John Baptista Ramusius, fol. 417. pag. 2, I reade of

John Verarsanus as followeth: This unhappy ende had this valiaunte

gentleman, whoe, if this misfortune had not happened unto him (with the

singuler knowledge that he had in sea matters and in the arte of

navigation, beinge also favoured with the greate liberalitie of Kinge

Fraunces), woulde have discovered and opened unto the worlde that parte

also of lande even to the poole. Neither woulde he have contented himselfe

with the outeside and sea coaste onely, but woulde have passed further upp

within the lande so farr as he coulde have gon. And many that have knowen

him and talked with him have told me, that he saied he had in mynde to

perswade the Frenche Kinge to sende oute of Fraunce a goodd nomber of

people to inhabite certaine places of the said coaste, which be of ayre

temperate, and of soile moste fertile, with very faire ryvers, and havens

able to receave any navie. The inhabitants of which places mighte be

occasion to bringe to passe many goodd effectes: and, amongest other, to

reduce those poore, rude, and ignoraunte people to the knowledge of God

and true relligion, and to shewe them the manner of husbandrie for the

grounde, transportinge of the beastes of Europe into those excedinge large

and champion contries; and in time mighte discover the partes within

lande, and see if, amongest so many ilandes there be any passage to the

Southe Sea, or whither the firme lande of Fflorida contynewe still even to

the pole.

Upon occasion of these laste wordes I thinke it not amisse to alleage

those testimonies tendinge to the proofe of this longe desired north west

passage, which, with no small care these many yeres, I have observed in my

readinges and conferences concerninge the same matter.

1. My firste authoritie is in the seconde volume of Ramusius, in the

discourse of the discoverie of the ilandes Freseland, Iseland,

Engroneland, Drogeo, and Icaria, made in the northe by Sir Nicholas Zeny,

Knighte, and Mr. Anthony, his brother, in the yere 1380.(78) In which

discourse, amonge many other thinges tendinge to the proofe of this

passage, I finde this recorded: Scoprirono vna isola detta Estotilanda

posta in ponente lontana da Frislanda piu di mille miglia; whereof I

gather, that whereas still he calleth Estotiland an Ilande, and that it is

distant westwarde from Frislande more then a thousande miles, that the sea

is open above five hundreth miles further then Frobisher and his companie

discouered. Ffor he himself confesseth that he never sailed paste five or

sixe hundreth miles to the weste of Ffriselande; and here is mention made,

that those fishermen that discouered the iland of Estotiland founde it to

be more then a M. miles to the weste of the same.

2. The seconde testimonie to prove this north west passage is in the

preface of the aforesaide Ramusius before his thirde volume, where he

alleageth, in manner followinge, that which Sebastian Gabote wrote unto

him concerninge this matter: Many yeres paste I was written unto by

Sebastian Gabote, our contryman, a Venecian, and a man of greate

experience, and very singuler in the arte of navigation and in the

knowledge of cosmographie, whoe sailed alonge and beyonde Nova Francia, at

the chardges of Kinge Henry the seaventh, Kinge of England; and he

signified unto me, that havinge sailed a longe tyme west and by northe

beyonde those ilandes unto the latitude of 67. degrees and [an half] under

the north pole, on the xj’th day of June, and findinge the sea open and

withoute any manner of ympedymente, he thoughte verely that he mighte have

passed by that way unto Cathaia, which is in the Easte; and he woulde have

done yt, if the mutinie of the shipmaster and unruly mariners had not

inforced him to returne homewardes from that place. But it semeth (saith

Ramusius), that God doth yet reserve to some greate prince the discoverie

of this voyadge to Cathaio by this way, which, for the bringinge of the

spicerie from India into Europe, woulde be the moste easie and shortest of

all others hitherto founde oute. And surely this enterprise woulde be the

moste glorious and of moste importaunce of all other that any coulde

ymagine, to make their name moche more eternall and ymmortale amonge all

ages to come, then these so greate tumultes and troubles of warres, which

are to be seene contynually in Europe amonge the miserable and unhappy

Christians.

3. Thirdly, the reporte which the people of Hochelaga made to Jacques

Cartier, in the xiij’th. chapter of his seconde relation, of the river

three monethes navigable to the southewarde, dothe not a little confirme

the same.

4. Fourthly, the relation of the people of Canada in the xij’th. chapiter,

followinge on this manner: Moreover they tolde us, and gave us to

understande, that there are people cladde with clothe as wee are, and that

there are many inhabited townes and goodd people, and that they have

greate store of golde and redd copper, and that upp into the lande,

beyonde the river firste above mentioned, even to Hochelaga and Saguynay,

there is an ile environed aboute with that and other rivers, which beyonde

Saguenay entereth into twoo or three greate lakes; also that there is

founde a sea of freshe water, the heade and ende whereof there was never

man founde that had throughly searched, as farr as they have hearde say of

them of Saguenay, for they (as they signified unto us) had not bene there

themselves.

5. Fyftly, in the ende of that seconde relation this postscripte is added

as a speciall pointe, to witt: that they of Canada say that it is the

space of a moone (that is to saye a moneth) to saile to a lande where

cynamon and cloves are gathered; and in the Frenche originall which I sawe

in the Kinges Library at Paris, in the Abbay of St Martines,(79) yt is

further put downe, that Donnaconna, the Kinge of Canada, in his barke had

traveled to that contrie where cynamon and cloves are had; yea, the names

whereby the savages call those twoo spices in their owne language are

there put downe in writinge.

6. Sixtly, this passage is likewise proved by the double reporte of

Vasques de Coronado. For firste, he beinge at Ceuola, which standeth in

37. degrees and an halfe of northerly latitude within the lande, he had

this informacion of the people of that place; Fanno otto giornate verso le

campagne al mare di settentrione: whereby I gather that some parte of the

northerne sea ys within viij. daies journey of Ceuola. Againe, when he was

afterwardes at the towne of Quiuira, which is scituated by the sea side in

the latitude of 40. degrees, he founde there shippes, with maryners, which

had the picture of a birde, called Alcatrazzi, in silver upon their

bonnetts and on the forepartes of their shippes; which signified that they

were thirtie daies sailinge to that place; whence it is saied that they

muste nedes be of Cathaio or China, seinge that there is none but Spanishe

shippinge upon all the coaste of the backside of Noua Spania.

7. Seaventhly, the people of Florida, at the River of May, in 30. degrees,

signified to John Ribault and his company, that they mighte saile in

boates from thence through the contrie by ryver to Ceuola in xx’ti. These

are the wordes, viz. As wee nowe demaunded of them concerninge the towne

of Ceuola (whereof some have written that it is not farr from thence, and

is scituated within the lande, and towardes the sea called Mare del Sur),

they shewed vs by signes, which wee understoode well ynoughe, that they

mighte goe thither with their boates, by rivers, in xx’ti. daies.

8. Eightly, Don Antonio di Castillo, embassador to her Majestie from Henry

the Kinge of Portingale, tolde me here in London, the yere before his

departure, that one Anus Corteriall, Capitaine of the Ile of Tercera, in

the yere 1574. sente a shippe to discover the northwest passage, which,

arryvinge on the coaste of America in 57. degrees of latitude, founde a

greate entraunce very depe and broade, withoute impedimente of ise, into

which they passed above xx leagues, and founde it alwayes to tende

towardes the southe. The lande lay lowe and plaine on either side. They

woulde have gon further, but their victualls drawinge shorte, and beinge

but one shippe, they returned backe, with hope at another tyme to make a

full searche of the passage, whereof they sawe not small likelyhoode.

9. Nynthly, Don Antonio, Kinge of Portingale,(80) shewed me in Paris this

present somer, a greate olde rounde carde (out of which Postellus tooke

the forme of his mappe), that had the northwest straite plainely sett

downe in the latitude of 57. degrees.

10. Tenthly, there is a mightie large olde mappe in parchemente, made, as

yt shoulde seme, by Verarsanus, traced all alonge the coaste from Florida

to Cape Briton, with many Italian names, which laieth oute the sea, making

a little necke of lande in 40. degrees of latitude, much lyke the streyte

necke or istmus of Dariena. This mappe is nowe in the custodie of Mr.

Michael Locke.

11. Eleventhly, there is an olde excellent globe in the Queenes privie

gallory at Westminster, which also semeth to be of Verarsanus makinge,

havinge the coaste described in Italian, which laieth oute the very selfe

same streite necke of lande in the latitude of 40. degrees, with the sea

joynninge harde on bothe sides, as it dothe on Panama and Nombre di Dios;

which were a matter of singuler importaunce, yf it shoulde be true, as it

is not unlikely.

12. Twelvethly, the judgemente of Gerardus Mercator, that excellent

geographer, which his sonne, Rumolde Mercator, shewed me in a letter of

his, and drewe oute for me in writinge, of wise men is not lightly to be

regarded. These were his wordes: Magna tametsi pauca de noua nauigatione

scribis, quam miror ante multos annos non fuisse attentatam. Non enim

dubium est quin recta et breuis via pateat in occidentem Cathaium vsque.

In quod regnum, si recte nauigationem instituant, nobilissimas totius

mundi merces colligent, et multis gentibus adhuc idololatris Christi nomen

communicabunt. You write (saieth he to his sonne) greate matters, thoughe

very brefely, of the newe voyadge, whereat I wonder that it was not these

many yeres heretofore attempted; ffor there is no doubte but there is a

streighte and shorte waye open into the west, even to Cathaio. Into which

kingdome, if they governe their voyadge well, they shall gather the moste

noble marchandize of all the worlde, and shall make the name of Christe to

be knowen to many idolaters and heathen people.

13. Hereunto agreeth the relation of Monsieur de Leau, an honest gent of

Morleux, in Britaine, which tolde me this springe, in the presence of

divers Englishe men at Paris, that a man of St. Malowe this laste yere

discovered the sea on the back side of Hochelaga.

14. Moreover, the relation of David Ingram confirmeth the same; for, as he

avowcheth and hath put it downe in writinge, he traveled twoo daies in the

sighte of the North Sea.

15. Againe, the prohibition which Kinge Philippe hath made, that none of

his pilotts shall discover to the northe wardes of 45. degrees, may seme

chefely to precede of these two causes: the one, leaste passinge further

to the northe, they mighte fall upon the open passage from Mare del Sur

into our Northerne Sea; the other, because they have not people ynoughe to

possesse and kepe the same, but rather in tyme shoulde open a gappe for

other nations to passe that waye.

16. Lastly, I will ende with the earnest petition and constant assertion

of Ramusius, in his firste volume, fol. 374. where, speakinge of the

severall waies by which the spicery, bothe of olde and of late yeres, hath

bene broughte into Europe, he useth these speaches in the person of

another: Why doe not the princes (saieth he), which are to deale in these

affaires, sende furthe twoo or three colonies to inhabite the contrie, and

to reduce this savage nation to more civilitie, consideringe what a

frutefull soile it is, how replenished with all kinde of graine, howe it

is stored with all kinde of birdes and beastes, with such faire and

mightie rivers, that Capitaine Cartier and his companie in one of them

sailed upp an C. and xx’iiij. leagues, findinge the contrie peopled on

bothe sides in greate aboundaunce; and, moreover, to cause the gouernours

of those colonies to sende furthe men to discouer the northe landes aboute

Terra de Labrador, and west north west towardes the seas, which are to

saile to the contrie of Cathaio, and from thence to the ilandes of

Molucka. These are enterprises to purchase ymmortal praise, which the Lord

Antony de Mendoza, viceroy of Mexico, willinge to put in execution, sente

furthe his capitaines, bothe by sea and lande, upon the northwest of Noua

Spania, and discovered the kingdomes of the seaven cities aboute Ceuola;

and Franciscus Vasques de Coronado passed from Mexico by lande towardes

the northwest 2850. miles, in so moche as he came to the sea which lieth

betwene Cathaio and America, where he mett with the Cathaian shippes; and,

no doubte, if the Frenche men, in this their Nova Francia, woulde have

discovered upp further into the lande towardes the west northwest partes,

they shoulde have founde the sea and have sailed to Cathaio.

Thus farr Ramusius.

God, which doth all thinges in his due time, and hath in his hande the

hartes of all Princes, stirr upp the mynde of her Majestie at lengthe to

assiste her moste willinge and forwarde subjectes to the perfourmance of

this moste godly and profitable action; which was begonne at the chardges

of Kinge Henry the vij’th. her grandfather, followed by Kinge Henry the

Eighte, her father, and lefte, as it semeth, to be accomplished by her (as

the three yeres golden voyadge to Ophir was by Salomon), to the makinge of

her realme and subjectes moste happy, and her selfe moste famous to all

posteritie. Amen.

Chap. XVIII. That the Queene of Englandes title to all the West Indies, or

at the leaste to as moche as is from Florida to the Circle articke, is

more lawfull and righte then the Spaniardes, or any other Christian

Princes.

To confute the generall claime and unlawfull title of the insatiable

Spaniardes to all the West Indies, and to prove the justenes of her

Majesties title and of her noble progenitours, if not to all, yet at

leaste to that parte of America which is from Florida beyonde the Circle

articke, wee are to sett downe in true order, accordinge to the juste

observation of tyme, when the West Indyes, with the ilandes and continent

of the same, were firste discouered and inhabited, and by what nation, and

by whome. Then are wee to answer in generall and particulerly to the moste

injurious and unreasonable donation graunted by Pope Alexander the Sixte,

a Spaniarde borne, of all the West Indies to the Kinges of Spaine and

their successors, to the greate prejudice of all other Christian Princes,

but especially to the domage of the Kinges of England.

Ffor the firste pointe, wee of England have to shewe very auncient and

auctenticall chronicles, written in the Welshe or Brittishe tongue,

wherein wee finde that one Madock ap Owen Guyneth, a Prince of North

Wales, beinge wearye of the civill warres and domesticall dissentions in

his contrie, made twoo voyadges oute of Wales, and discovered and planted

large contries which he founde in the mayne ocean south westwarde of

Ireland, in the yere of our Lorde 1170.(81) This historie is also to be

seene in Englishe in printe, in the booke sett furthe this yere of the

Prince of Wales, dedicated to Sir Henry Sidney. And this is confirmed by

the language of some of those people that dwell upon the continent betwene

the Bay of Mexico and the Grande Bay of Newfoundelande, whose language is

said to agree with the Welshe in divers wordes and names of places, by

experience of some of our nation that have bene in those partes. By this

testimonie it appereth, that the West Indies were discovered and inhabited

322. yeres before Columbus made his firste voyadge, which was in the yere

1492.

Secondly, the acceptation of Columbus his offer of the West Indies by

Kinge Henry the Seaventh, at the very firste, maketh moche for the title

of the Kinges of England, althoughe they had no former interest; which I

will here putt downe as I finde it in the eleventh chapiter of the

historie of Ferdinandus Columbus of the relation of the life and doinges

of his father: This practise, saieth he, of the Kinge of Portingale (which

was secretly to deprive him of the honour of his enterprise), beinge come

to the knowledge of the Admyrall, and havinge lately buried his wife, he

conceaved so greate hatred againste the citie of Lysbone and the nation,

that he determyned to goe into Castile with a younge sonne that he had by

his wife, called Diego Colon, which after his fathers deathe succeded in

his state. But fearinge, yf the Kinges of Castile also shoulde not

consente unto his enterprise, he shoulde be constrayned to begynne againe

to make some newe offer of the same to some other Prince, and so longe

tyme shoulde be spente therein, he sente into England a brother of his

which he had with him, named Bartholmewe Columbus. Nowe Bartholmewe

Columbus beinge departed for England, his fortune was to fall into the

handes of pyrates, which robbed him, and his other companions that were in

his shippe, of all that they had. By which occasion and meanes of his

povertie and sicknes, which cruelly afflicted him in a strange contrie, he

deferred for a longe space his embassage, till, havinge gotten upp a

little money by makinge of seacardes, he began to practize with Kinge

Henry the Seaventhe, the father of Kinge Henry the viij’th which nowe

reigneth; to whome he presented a general carde, wherein these verses were

written, which I will rather here put downe for their antiquitie then for

their elegancie:

Terrarum quicunque cupis foeliciter oras

Noscere, cuncta decens doctè pictura docebit

Quam Strabo affirmat, Ptolomæus, Plinius atque

Isidorus: non vna tamen sententia cuique

Pingitur hîc etiam nuper sulcata carinis

Hispanis Zona illa, priùs incognita genti,

Torrida, quæ tandem nunc est notissma multis.

And somewhat more beneath he saied:

_Pro authore sive pictore_

Janna cui patriæ est nomen, cui Bartholomæus

Columbus, de terra rubra, opus edidit istud

Londonijs, Anno Domini 1480 atque insuper anno

Octauo, decimáque die cùm tertia mensis

Februarij. Laudes Christo cantentur abundæ.(82)

But to returne to the Kinge of England; I say that after he had sene the

generall carde, and that which the Admyrall Columbus offred unto him, he

accepted his offer with a cherefull countenaunce, and sente to call him

into England. These thinges beinge so, wee nede not to be our owne judges,

but are able to prove, as you see, by a forren testimonie of singuler

greate aucthoritie, that Christopher Columbus, beinge in Portingale,

before he wente into Castile, sente his brother Bartholmewe into England

to practise with Kinge Henry the Seaventh aboute the discovery of the West

Indies, and that his said brother made his generall seacarde of this

secrete voyadge in London, in the yere of our Lorde 1488. the xiijth. of

February, above foure yeres before Christopher was sett oute upon his

firste voyadge by the Princes of Spaine, Ferdinando and Isabella, which

was the thirde of Auguste, 1592. It appereth also, that the onely cause

for his slowe dispatche was his fallings into the handes of pyrates, which

spoiled him and his companie of all that they had; whereby he was inforced

a longe tyme to worke in London in makinge instrumentes and seacardes to

get somewhat aboute him, that he mighte come in some honest furniture to

the Kinges presence. Also, that there was no delaye nor wante of goodd

will of the Kinges parte to sett furthe the action, whoe willingly

condescended to all Columbus demaundes; as is further to be seene in the

60 chapiter of the same historie, where I reade, that Bartholmewe

Columbus, havinge agreed with the Kinge of England upon all capitulations,

and returninge into Spaine by Fraunce to fetche his brother, when he

hearde newes at Paris that he had concluded in the meane season with the

Kinge of Spaine, and was entred into the action for him, was not a little

vexed for his brothers abusinge the Kinge of England, which had so

curteously graunted all his requestes and accepted of his offer. But

Christofer, not receavinge so spedy aunswer as he hoped for from his

brother oute of England, by reason of his fallinge into pirates handes, as

is aforesaide, and not by reason of any slacknes or unwillingnes of the

Kinge, in the meane season, for feare of beinge prevented by the

Portingales, which once before in secrete manner had gon aboute to take

the honour of the action oute of his handes, was stirred, contrary to

honesty, to play on bothe handes, and to deal with the Princes of Spaine

before he had receaved the Kinge of Englandes resolucion.

But leavinge this abuse offered to the Kinge of England either by

Christopher Columbus or the Kinges of Spaine, in takinge that enterprise

oute of his handes which was first sente to him, and never refused by him,

and to put the case that Columbus firste discovered parte of the ilandes

of Hispaniola and Cuba, yet wee will prove most plainely that a very

greate and large parte, as well of the continent as of the ilandes, were

firste discovered for the Kinge of England by Sebastian Gabote, an

Englishe man, borne in Bristoll, the sonne of John Gabote, a Venesian, in

the yere of our Lorde 1496; as an Italian gent, a greate philosopher and

mathematitian, witnesseth, which harde the same of his owne mouthe; and

there were many then also lyvinge, which wente with him in that voyadge,

which coulde have proved him a liar yf it had bene otherwise. These be the

very wordes of this gent, which be uttered to certen noblemen of Venice

upon the disputation concerninge the voyadges of the spicerye: Know ye not

(quoth he) to this effecte, to goe to finde the Easte Indies by the north

west, that which one of your citie hath done, which is so skilfull in the

arte of navigacion and cosmographie, that he hath not his like in Spaine

at this day? And his sufficiencie hath so greately advaunced him, that the

Kinge hath given him the oversighte of all the pilotts that saile to the

West Indies, so that withoute his licence they cannot meddle in this arte,

by reason whereof they call him the Graund Pilott. This was Segnior

Sebastian Gabote, which I wente to see, beinge myselfe in Cyvill certen

yeres paste, whome I founde to be a moste curteous and gentle person.

After he had made very moche of me, and geven me good entertainment, he

shewed me many singularities which he had; and amonge the rest, a greate

mappe of the worlde, wherein were marked and described all the particular

navigations as well of the Portingales as of the Castilians. And he

declared unto me, that, his father beinge departed from Venyce, he wente

to dwell in England for trade of marchandize, and caried him with him to

the citie of London, thoughe he were very younge; yet for all that not so

younge but that he had studied [letters] of humanitie and the sphere;

moreover, that his father died aboute the tyme that the newes came that

Christopher Colon had discovered the coaste of the West Indies, and there

was no other talke but of that in the Courte of Kinge Henry the vij’th.

which reigned then in England. Whereof every man saied, that yt was rather

a thinge devine then humaine, to have founde out that way never knowen

before, to goe by the west into the easte. This brute of Segnior Columbus

did so inflame my harte, that I determyned also to doe some notable

thinge. And knowinge by the reason of the sphere, that, in directinge my

course righte towarde the north weste, I shoulde shorten the way greately

to goe to the Easte Indies, without delaye I gave the Kinges Majestie to

understande of myne opinion, which was marveylously well pleased; and he

furnished me of twoo shippes, with all thinges necessarie; and this was in

the yere 1496. in the begynnynge of somer. And I began to saile towardes

the north west, thinckinge to finde no lande savinge that where Cathaio

is, and from thence to turne towardes the Indies. But after certaine

daies, I discouered lande which ronneth towardes the northe, wherewithall

I was excedingly agreved; notwithstandinge I ceassed not to ronne alonge

that coaste towardes the northe, to see yf I coulde finde any gulfe which

turned towardes the north weste, until I came to the heighte of 56.

degrees of our pole. (M250) Beinge there, I sawe that the coaste turned

towards the easte, and, beinge oute of hope to finde any straite, I turned

backe againe to searche out the said coaste towarde the equinoctiall, with

intention alwayes to finde some passage to the Indies; and in followinge

this coaste I sailed as farr as that parte which at this present they call

Florida; and nowe my victualls failinge and fallinge shorte, I sailed no

further, but lefte the coaste there, and sailed into England, where I was

no sooner arryved but I founde greate troubles of the people, that were

upp in armes by reason of the warres in Scotland; whereby the voyadge to

those partes was laide aside for that time, and had in no further

consideration.

Upon this relation, Monsieur Popiliniere, being a Frencheman, in his

seconde booke, Des Trois Mondes, inferreth these speaches: This, then, was

that Gabote which firste discovered Florida for the Kinge of England, so

that the Englishe men have more righte thereunto then the Spaniardes, yf

to have righte unto a contrie, it sufficeth to have firste seene and

discovered the same.

Howbeit, Gabota did more then see the contrie, for he wente on lande on

divers places, tooke possession of the same accordinge to his patente,

which was graunted to his father, John Gabot, to Lewes, himself, and

Sancius, his brethren, beinge to be sene in the Rolles and extant in

printe: and, moreover, he broughte home three of the savages of the

Indies, as Fabian, in his ancient Chronicle, dothe write, declaringe their

apparell, feedinge, and other manners, which, he saieth, he observed

himselfe in the Courte at Westminster, where he sawe twoo of them, two

yeres after they were broughte into England, in Englishe apparell. Nay,

that which is more, Gabota discovered this longe tracte of the firme lande

twoo yeres before Columbus ever sawe any parte of the continente thereof.

For the firste parte of the firme land, called Paria, and Bocca di

Dragone, that is to say, the Dragons Mouthe, beinge to the southe of the

iland of Hispaniola, was discovered by him in his thirde voyadge; which,

as Peter Martir de Angleria, which was one of the councell of the West

Indies, wryteth, was in the yere 1498; which is confirmed by Ferdinandus

Columbus, his owne sonne, which was with his father in the voyadge (as

Oviedo confesseth, libr. 19. cap 1.), and wrote a journall of that

voyadge, shewinge, in the 67. chapiter of his historie, that his father

firste sawe the firme lande the firste of Auguste in the yere 1498. But

Gabote made his greate discoverie in the yere 1496. as he testifieth in

his relation above mentioned. And the day of the moneth is also added in

his owne mappe, which is yn the Queenes privie gallorie at Westminster,

the copye whereof was sett oute by Mr. Clemente Adams, and is in many

marchantes houses in London. (M251) In which mappe, in the chapiter of

Newfoundelande, there in Latyn is put downe, besides the yere of our

Lorde, even the very day, which was the day of St. John Baptiste; and the

firste lande which they sawe they called Prima Visa or Prima Vista: and

Mr. Roberto Thorne, in his discourse to Doctor Ley, Kinge Henry the Eights

embassador to Charles the Emperour, affirmeth that his father and one

Hughe Elliott, of Bristoll, were the firste persons that descried the

lande. This case is so clere that the Spaniardes themselves, thoughe full

sore againste their willes, are constrained to yielde unto us therein. For

Franciscus Lopez de Gomera, in the 4. chapiter of his seconde booke of his

Generall Historie of the Indies, confesseth that Sebastian was the firste

discoverer of all the coaste of the West Indies, from 58. degrees of

northerly latitude to the heighte of 38. degrees towardes the

equinoctiall. He whiche broughte moste certeine newes of the contrie and

people of Baccalaos, saieth Gomera, was Sebastian Gabot, a Venesian, which

rigged up ij. shippes at the coste of Kinge Henry the Seaventh of England,

havinge greate desire to traficque for the spices as the Portingales did.

He carried with him CCC. men, and tooke the way towardes Island from

beyonde the Cape of Labrador, untill he founde himselfe in 58. degrees and

better. He made relation that, in the moneth of July, it was so colde and

the ise so greate, that he durste not passe any further; that the daies

were very longe, in a manner withoute any nighte, and for that shorte

nighte that they had it was very clere. Gabot, feelinge the colde, turned

towardes the west, refreshing himselfe at Baccalaos; and afterwardes he

sailed alonge the coaste unto 38. degrees, and from thence he shaped his

course to returne into England.

Moreover, this Fraunces Lopez de Gomera acknowledgeth, in his firste booke

and xxjth. chapiter of the Generall Historie of the Indies, that Columbus

on his thirde voyadge, sett oute from St Lucar of Barameda, in Spaine, in

the ende of May, _anno_ 1497. In which thirde voyadge, at lengthe, after

any greate dangers by the way, he arryved in the firme lande of the

Indies, towardes the province called Paria, which all the Spanishe authors

confesse to have bene the firste of the continent that was discovered for

the Kinges of Spaine.

So to conclude; whether wee beleve the testemonie of Peter Martir and

Ferdinandus Columbus, which affirme that Christopher Columbus discovered

the firme firste _in anno_ 1498. a greate and large tracte of the

continente of the Indies was discovered by Gabote and the Englishe above

twoo yeres before, to witt, in the yere 1496, in the moneths of June and

July; or whether wee be contente to yelde to Gomera, which saieth Columbus

sett furthe of the discovery of the firme lande, 1497; yet wee of England

are the firste discoverers of the continent above a yere and more before

them, to witt, 1496. or, as Clement Adams saith, 1494. in the chapiter of

Gabbotts mapp _De terra nova_, which is above three yeres before the

Spaniarde, or any other for the Kinges of Spaine, had any sighte of any

parte of the firme lande of the Indies. At leaste wise, by Gomera his owne

confession, from 37. degrees of northerly latitude to 38. towardes the

equinoctiall, we have beste righte and title of any Christian. As for the

discovery of John Ponce de Leon, beinge _in anno_ 1512. yt cannot be

prejudiciall to our title, as beinge made sixtene yeres after Gabotes

voyadge.

Chap. XIX. An aunswer to the Bull of the Donation of all the West Indies

graunted to the Kinges of Spaines by Pope Alexander the VIth, whoe was

himselfe a Spaniarde borne.

Whereas Fraunces Lopez de Gomera, in the 19. chapiter of his firste booke

of his Generall Historie of the Indies, putteth downe that Pope Alexander

the VIth, of his proper will and of his owne mere motion, with the

consents of his Cardinalls, gave of his free grace to the Kinges of Spaine

all the iles and firme landes which they shoulde discover towardes the

west, and therewithall alledged the Bull itselfe; I aunswer, that no Pope

had any lawfull aucthoritie to give any such donation at all. For proofe

whereof, I say that, if he were no more than Christes vycar, as Gomera

calleth him in that place, then he must needes graunte that the vicar is

no greater then his Master. Nowe, our Saviour Christe, beinge requested

and entreated to make a lawfull devision of inheritaunce betwene one and

his brother, refused to do that, sayenge, Quis me constituit judicem inter

vos? Whoe made me a judge betwene you? What meaneth, then, the Pope, not

beinge spoken to nor entreated, of his owne proper will and of his owne

mere motion, to meddle in those matters that Christe in no wise, no, not

beinge thereunto instantly requested, woulde not have to deale in? Againe,

oure Saviour Christe confessed openly to Pilate, that his kingdome was not

of this worlde. Why, then, doth the Pope, that woulde be Christes

servaunte, take upon him the devision of so many kingdomes of the worlde?

If he had but remembred that which he hath inserted in the ende of his

owne Bull, to witt, that God is the disposer and distributer of kingdomes

and empires, he woulde never have taken upon him the devidinge of them

with his line of partition from one ende of the heavens to the other. The

historie of the poore boye whome God stirred upp to confounde and deride

the Spaniardes and Portingales, when they were devidinge the woride

betwene themselves alone, is so well knowen as I nede not stand to repeate

it. But it is the Popes manner alwayes to meddle, as in this matter, so in

other thinges, where they have nothinge to doe, and to intrude themselves

before they be called. They mighte rather call to mynde the counsell of

the goodd apostle, who tolde godly Tymothe, the Bisshoppe of Ephesus, that

no man that warreth intangleth himself with the affaires of this presente

life, because he woulde please Him that hath chosen him to be a souldier;

and then they woulde learne to kepe themselves within the lymites of that

vocation and ecclesiasticall function whereunto they are called; which

ecclestiasticall function hath nothinge to doe with absolute donation and

devidinge of mere temporalties and earthly kingdomes. St. Chrisostome, in

his dialogue De dignitate sacerdotali, saieth that the mynisterie is a

chardge geven by God to teache withoute armes or force, and that the same

is no power to give or to take kingdomes, nor to make lawes for the

publique governemente. St. Hillary writes as moche to the Emperour

Constantine againste Auxentius, Bisshoppe of Milan. Our Saviour Christe

himselfe saieth to his desciples, that while they were in the worlde, they

shoulde be broughte before kinges and pollitique magistrates for his names

sake. So then they shoulde not be judges and magistrates themselves,

especially in the devisions of kingdomes; and, to leave all spirituall men

an example, he paid tribute and toll for himselfe and Peter, and submitted

himselfe and his apostles under the civill magistrate and politique

governemente; yet the Pope, whoe saieth that he is Peters successor, will

be a disposer of civill causes and temporall domynions. The apostle

saieth, Romaines the 13: Let every soule be submitted unto the higher

powers. Nowe, if the Popes will not beleve the worde of God withoute the

exposition of the Fathers of the Churche, at leaste let them beleve St

Chrisostome, and give eare to that which he hath written upon this place:

That these thinges be comaunded to all men, saieth he, bothe to prestes

and monckes, and not onely to secular or laymen, the Apostle declareth,

even in the very begynnynge, when he saieth in this manner: Let every

soule be subjecte unto their higher powers, thoughe thou were an apostle,

thoughe thou were an evangeliste, thoughe thou were a prophet, or thoughe

thou were any other whatsoever. For obedience dothe nothinge hinder

godlines.

But the Popes woulde prove that they may give and bestowe kingdomes upon

whome they please, by Samuels example that annoynted Hazaell Kinge of

Siria insteade of Benhadad, and Jehu Kinge of Israeli insteade of Jehoram;

as, also, by the example of Jehoada, the highe preste, that put the Queene

Athalia to deathe, and placed Joas, the younge sonne of Ochosias in the

kingdome. All those examples make nothinge at all in the worlde for them;

for neither Samuell, nor Elias, nor Elizeus did any thinge in that matter

withoute an expresse commaundement and all circumstances from the mouthe

of God himselfe, as appereth moste evidently by their severall histories

in the Bible. Samuell also did his comission full sore againste his will;

and Elias and Elizeus, with greate feare of their lyves. As for Athalia,

she was an usurper, and had cruelly murdered as many of the lawfull

inheritours of the kingdome as she coulde possibly lay handes on; and

therefore Jehoiada, the highe preste, not of his owne absolute

aucthoritie, but by the helpe of the Kinges officers and joyfull consente

of all the people, caused her moste justely to be deposed and put to

deathe. He was also uncle to the younge Kinge, by mariage of his wife,

Jebosheba, which was sister to Ahasai, the father of the younge kinge, and

therefore bounde, in conscience and affinitie, to helpe him to his righte

and succour him in his mynoritie. Nowe, when the Popes have the like

excellent spirite of prophesie and the like chardges and expresse

commaundementes from Gods owne mouthe, in the behalf of some one by name

againste some one which God by name woulde have deposed, then they may

ymitate them in pronouncinge unto them that God will rente their kingdomes

from this or that kinge for his synnes. But none of the Prophetts made

bulls or donations in their palaces, under their handes and seales and

dates, to bestowe many kingdomes, which they never sawe or knewe, nor what

nor howe large they were, or, to say the truthe, whether they were extant

_in rerum natura_, as the Pope hath done in gevinge all the West Indies to

the Kinges of Spaine. He shoulde firste have don as the prophetts dyd;

that is, he shoulde firste have gon himselfe and preached the worde of God

to those idolatrous kinges and their people; and then, if they woulde not,

by any meanes, have repented, he mighte have pronounced the severe and

heavie judgemente of God againste them, shewinge oute of the worde of God

that one kingdome is translated from another for the sinnes of the

inhabitantes of the same, and that God in his justice, woulde surely

bringe some nation or other upon them, to take vengeaunce of their synnes

and wickednes. And thus moche not onely Popes, but also any other godly

and zealous bisshope or mynister, may doe, beinge called thereunto by God

extraordinarily, or havinge the ordinarye warrante of his worde.

Yea, but the Popes can shewe goodd recordes that they have deposed

Emperors, that they have translated empires from one people to another, as

that of the Easte unto the Germaines, and that they have taken kingdomes

from one nation and geven them to another. In deede, in some respectes,

they have done so. But how? They never gave that which was in their

actuall possession, yf by any meanes possible they mighte have kepte it

themselves. It is an easie matter to cutt large thonges, as wee say, of

other men’s hides, and to be liberall of other men’s goodds. Neither ys it

any marvaile thoughe (as Gomera saieth) the Pope gave all the West Indies

of his free grace to the Kinge of Spaine, for they never coste him a

penye. But he that will be in deede and truthe liberall, he muste give of

his owne, and not of other mens. For to take from one that which is his,

to give it to another to whom it is not due, ys plaine injurie and no

liberalitie, thoughe the gifte were bestowed upon him that were in nede.

For as one saieth: Eripere alteri fraudulenter quod alteri des

misericorditer, iniustitia quidem est et non eleemosyna—to take from one

fraudulently to give to another mercifully, is no almes nor charitie, but

plaine iniquitie. The Pope shoulde rather have sent into the West Indies

store of godly pastors of his owne coste freely, then to have geven them

and their gooddes wrongfully to be eaten upp and devoured of such

insatiable and gredy wolves. He should have remembred the worde of our

Saviour, whoe saieth: Beatius est dare quam accipere—it is a blessed

thinge to give rather then to receave. The Popes say they gave Ireland to

Kinge Henry the Seconde and his successors; and indeede they have don it

in wordes. But when gave they that unto him? Forsoothe after he had faste

footinge in it, and when Dermutius, the King of Leynester, had firste

offred to make the Kinge his heire. And for all their donation, yf the

Kinge had not by his force more then by their gifte holpe himselfe, the

Popes donation had stoode him in small stede; neither did the Kinges of

Ireland admitt and allowe of the Popes donation. If they had, they woulde

never have rebelled so ofte againste the Crowne of England. To conclude

this pointe, thoughe wee confesse that the Popes have don this or that,

yet yt is no goodd argumente to say that they did it, and therefore it is

lawfull, unless they coulde shewe that they did it rightfully. De facto

constat, de jure non constat. And they themselves are driven to confess,

that their medlinge on this sorte with kingdomes ys not directly, but

indirectly. But suche indirecte dealinge is warranted neither by lawe of

God nor men.

Nowe to the donation itselfe, wee are firste to consider, whoe it was that

was the author thereof; secondly, unto whome it was made; thirdly, what

were the causes and inducementes that moved the Pope thereunto; fourthly,

the fourme and manner of donation; fyftly, the inhibition of all other

Christian Princes, and the penaltie of all them that shoulde doe the

contrarye; lastly, the recompence of the Kinges of Spaine to the Sea of

Rome for so greate a gifte.

1. Touchinge the firste, the author hereof was Pope Alexander the vith

whoe, as Platina and Onuphrius and Bale doe write, was himselfe a

Spaniarde, and borne in Valencia, of the familie called Borgia, and

therefore no marvell thoughe he were ledd by parcialitie to favour the

Spanishe nation, thoughe yt were to the prejudice and domage of all

others; whiche foule faulte of his may hereby appeare, that havinge in all

the tyme of his Popedome created sixe and thirtie Cardinalles, of those

xxxvj. he made xviij. to witt the one halfe, Spaniardes, as Bale dothe

testifie, writinge of his life. Nowe let any man be judge, whether that

were extreame parcialitie and ambition, to make Spaine equal in that

pointe with all the rest of Christendome. No marvaile therefore, thoughe

as in this, so in his donation, he was beyonde all reason caried away with

blynde affection to his nation; which faulte of his had bene more to be

borne withall, yf it had bene in a private or small matter. But in this so

generall and comon cause, yt cannot choose but be altogether intollerable.

If any man liste to see this man painted oute further in his colours, let

him reade John Bale in his Eighte Century, where he shall finde so many of

his badd partes, as a man woulde thinke he coulde not be a fitt man to

make a goodd and uprighte judge in so weightie a matter as this.

2. The persons to whome he made this donation were Ferdinando and

Isabella, Princes of Spaine, to whome, and to their heires and successors

for ever, he confirmed the same, excludinge all other Christian princes.

These princes, thoughe otherwise very vertuous and commendable, yet at the

tyme of the makinge of this donation, were more unable then divers other

Kinges of Christendome to accomplishe and bringe the same to effecte, as

beinge greately ympoverished with the warres of Granadae, so farr furthe

that they were constrained to seke for helpe of Kinge Henry the VIIth. of

England, to subdue the Moores in their owne contrie. Yea, Queene Isabella

was so poore and bare that she was faine to offer her owne jewells to

gage, to borowe money to sett furthe Columbus in his firste voyadge, as it

is to be seene in the 14. chapiter of the Historie of Ferdinandus

Columbus, his owne sonne, It is also well knowen that the Spaniardes, for

wante of people of their owne contrie, have not bene able nowe, in the

space of xx’iiii. and xij. yeres, to inhabite a thirde or fourthe parte of

those excedinge large and waste contries, which are as greate as all

Europe and Africke.

3. The inducementes that moved his Holines to graunt these unequall

donations unto Spaine were, firste, (as he saieth) his singuler desire and

care to have the Christian religion and Catholicque faithe exalted, and to

be enlarged and spredd abroade throughoute the worlde, especially in his

daies, and that the salvation of soules shoulde be procured of every one,

and that the barbarous nations shoulde be subdued and reduced to the

faithe, &c. To this I aunswer that, if he had ment as in deede he saieth,

he shoulde not have restrayned this so greate and generall a worke,

belonginge to the duetie of all other Christian princes, unto the Kinges

of Spaine onely, as thoughe God had no servauntes but in Spaine; or as

thoughe other Christian kinges then lyvinge had not as greate zeale and

meanes to advaunce Gods glory as they; or howe mente he that every one

shoulde put their helpinge hande to this worke, when he defended all other

Christian Princes, in paine of his heavie curse and excomunication, to

meddle in this action, or to employe their subjectes, thoughe yt were to

the conversion of the inhabitauntes in those partes. And whereas, to

colour this his donation, he addeth, that the Kinges of Spaine had bene at

greate chardge in that discoverie in respect whereof he was induced to

deale so franckly with them, yt is evident that the Bull was graunted in

the yere 1493. the iiij. of the moneth of May, at what time Columbus had

made but one voyadge, wherein he was furnished onely with one small shippe

and twoo little caravells, and had, in all his companie, but foure score

and tenne men, and the whole voyadge stoode the Kinge of Spaine in 2500.

crownes only. So these 2500. crownes were the greate chardges that the

Pope speaketh of, that induced him to graunte so large a donation; for

that was the uttermoste that Columbus desired, as is to be redd in the 14.

chapiter of his owne sonnes historie.

Moreover, where the Pope confesseth he was informed, before the donation

of his Bull, that the Kinges of Spaine had purposed, by the aide of God,

to subdue and reduce unto the faithe all those landes and Ilandes, with

their inhabitantes, whiche Columbus had founde in his firste discovery, in

comendinge highly of this their intention, he semeth to confesse that they

mighte have pursued that godly action very lawfully withoute makinge of

him privy to their enterprice, which they did not in their firste sendinge

furthe Columbus. And with what righte he builded and lefte men in

Hispaniola at the firste, before the Popes donation, with the selfe same

righte he mighte have subdued all that he shoulde afterwardes discover.

So, then, the Popes gifte was of no more force, then of that which they

mighte have chalenged by their former righte and interest of discoverie.

And as for their former zeale and resolution to publishe the Christian

faithe in those quarters, which the Pope confesseth to have bene in them

before his donation, whoe seeth not that he stirres them uppe to nothinge,

but to that which he acknowledged to have bene in them already; and so he

did nothinge but _actum agere_.

Againe; in that he saieth, that in no other respecte, but moved onely by

his mere and francke liberaltie, _and for certeine secrete causes_, he

gave unto them all the ilandes and firme landes which already have bene

founde, and which shoulde afterwardes be founde, which were then

discovered or afterwardes to be discovered, towardes the West and the

Southe, drawinge a straighte line from the pole articke to the pole

antarticke, whether the ilandes or firme landes founde or to be founde

were towardes the Indies or towardes any other quarter; intendinge,

nevertheles, that this line be distant an hundred leagues towardes the

West and the Southe from the iles which are comonly called the Azores, or

those of Cape Verd: to this wee aunswer, that here wee are firste to

consider that yt was no marvell that his Holines, beinge a Spaniarde

borne, sett aparte all other respectes of justice and equitie, and of his

mere motion and francke liberalitie was ready to raise and advaunce his

owne nation, with doinge secrete wronge and injurie as moche as in him

laye, and more, unto all other Princes of Christendome. For what els can

those wordes importe, that he did it also for certen secrete causes, but

give us juste cause to suspect that there wanted uprighte, indifferent,

and sincere dealinges? And surely, if he had meant uprightly, he woulde

have delte more plainely; for truths seketh no secrete comers. But if you

will have me to reveale those secrete causes, to say as the thinge was,

they were nothinge else but the feare and jelousie that he had, that Kinge

Henry the vij’th. of England, with whome Bartholmewe Columbus had bene to

deale in this enterprice, and even aboute this time had concluded with the

Kinge upon all pointers and articles, whoe even nowe was readie to sende

him into Spaine to call his brother Christopher into England, shoulde put

a foote into this action; which, if he had don, he shoulde bothe have

share with the Spaniardes in the profitt, and greatly ecclips their honour

and glorie. Also, he coulde not choose but be privie to the longe

conference that Christopher Columbus had before time with the Kinge of

Portingale, and offer which he made firste of all to the said Kinge of

this discovery, whoe thoughe at the firste delte doubly with Columbus, and

sent other to finde oute that thinge which Columbus offered, yet, they

missinge of their purpose, the Kinge of Portingale woulde have employed

Columbus, and delte effectually with him to that ende; but he conceavinge

a greate displeasure againste the Kinge and his nation for his secrete

seekinge to defraude him of his honour, and benefite of his offer, stole

prively oute of his realme into Castile. But the Pope, fearinge that

either the Kinge of Portingale mighte be reconciled to Columbus, or that

he mighte be drawen into England, by interposinge of his usurped

aucthoritie, thoughte secretly, by his unlawfull division, to defraude

England and Portingale of that benefite. Loe, these were indeede those

secrete causes, sodenly, withoute makinge the other Kinges privie, to make

his generall and universall donation of all the West Indies to the Kinges

of Spaine, by drawinge a lyne of partition from one pole unto another,

passinge a hundred leagues westwarde of the Iies of Azores; which

division, howe God caused to be deryded by the mouthe of a poor, simple

childe, Fraunces Lopez de Gomera, one of the Spaniardes owne

historiographers, dothe specially note in manner followinge: Before I

finishe this chapiter (saieth he), I will recite, to recreate the reader,

that which happened, upon this partition, to the Portingales. As Fraunces

de Melo, Diego Lopes of Sequeria, and others, came to this assembly, and

passed the river by Quidiana, a little infant that kepte his mothers

clothes, which she had washt and honge abroade to drye, demaunded of them,

whether they were those that shoulde come to devide the worlde with the

Emperour; and as they answered yea, he tooke up his shirte behinde and

shewed them his buttocks, sayenge unto them: Drawe your lyne throughe the

middest of this place. This, saieth the author, was published in contempte

all abroade, bothe in the towne of Badayos and also in the assemblye of

these committies. The Portingales were greately angrie therewithall, but

the rest turned yt to a jest and laughed yt oute.

But what wise man seeth not that God by that childe laughed them to

scorne, and made them ridicullous and their partition in the eyes of the

worlde and in their owne consciences, and caused the childe to reprove

them, even as the dombe beaste, speakinge with mans voyce, reproved the

foolishnes of Balam the Prophett!

4. The fourthe pointe which I purpose to touche, is the forme and manner

of the stile of the donation itselfe, after a large preface and connynge

preamble; and that begynneth in this manner: Wee therefore, by the

aucthoritie of God Almightie, which is geven to us in the person of

Saincte Peter, and which wee enjoye in this worlde as the vicar of Jhesus

Christe, give unto you all the ilandes and firme landes, with their

seigniories, cities, castells, &c. In which repetition of his donation the

seconde time for failinge, he woulde shewe unto the world by what

aucthoritie and warrant he gave away from all the Indians their landes,

contries, seigniories, cities, castells, places, villages, righte,

jurisdictions, and all other appurtenances and thinges belonginge to the

same, to the Kinges of Spaine onely, and to their heires and successors

for ever. This usurped aucthoritie, as I have plainely confuted and denied

in begynnynge, so nowe, in a worde or twoo, I will shewe, that never gave

unto the Popes any suche aucthoritie. (M252) The chefest and greatest

aucthoritie that ever was geven by Christe to Peter, is mentioned in the

16. chapiter of St. Mathewe, where Christe saieth unto him: I will give

unto thee the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalte

binde in earthe shalbe bounde in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalte loose

in earthe shalbe loosed in heaven. St. Hierome, expoundinge of this place,

saieth, that the priestes or bisshops duetie and aucthoritie of the keyes

to binde or loose, is to knowe and declare by the holy Scripture, and by

the judgemente of the Catholicque Churche, where and whoe he is that hath

offended againste the will of God, and whoe beinge once a Christian is

fallen from the societie, or gone astraye oute of the pathe and waye of

the Churche. These are the trewe keyes and twoo swordes which God hath put

into prestes handes. And Peter Lombard, the Master of the Sentences, one

of their owne doctors, is of St. Hieromes opinion. And what aucthoritie in

the place above recited Christe comitted unto Peter, the same gave he also

unto all the rest of his Apostles, John 20. verse 21. sayenge to them all:

Whoesoever synnes yee remitte, they are remitted unto them; and whoesoever

synnes yee retaine, they are retained. But that either Peter or any of the

Apostles did teache or affirme, that they had aucthoritie to give awaye

kingdomes of heathen Princes to those that were so farr from havinge any

interest in them, that they knewe not whether there were any suche

contries in the worlde or noe, I never reade nor hearde, nor any mane

else, as I verely beleve. Which moste injuste and wrongfull dealinge of

the Pope was notably confuted by Atabalipa, beinge an infidell. For after

Fryer Vincent of Valverde, of the companie and traine of Piçar, had made

an oration to him, the some whereof was that he shoulde become a

Christyan, and that he shoulde obey the Pope and the Emperor, to whome the

Pope had geven his kingdome, Atabalipa, beinge greately insensed, replied,

that, seeinge he was nowe free, he woulde not become tributarye, nor

thincke that there was any greater lorde then himselfe; but that he was

willinge to be the Emperor’s frende and to have his acquaintaunce, for

that he muste nedes be some greate lorde that sente so many armies abroade

into the worlde. He aunswered, moreover, that he woulde not in any wise

obey the Pope, seinge he gave away that which belonged to another, moche

lesse that he woulde leave his kingdome, that came unto him by

inheritaunce, to one which he had never seene in his life. And whereas

Fryer Vincent, beinge displeased at his replye, was gladd to seeke any

waye to wreake his anger upon him, insomoche as when Atabalipa lett his

portesse fall to the grounde, he was so testye that he sett Piçar and his

souldiers forwardes, cryenge, Vengeaunce, Christians, vengeaunce! give the

chardge upon them; whereby many Indians, withoute resistaunce, or any

stroke stricken on their partes, were moste pitefully murdred and

massacred, and Atabalipa himselfe taken, and afterwardes trecherously put

to deathe; this Frier himselfe, by Gods juste iudgement, was afterwardes

beaten to deathe with clubbes by the inhabitantes of Puna, as he fledd

from Don Diego de Almagre, as Fraunces Lopez de Gomera precisely and of

purpose noteth, libro 5. cap. 85. of his Generall Historie of the Indies;

and, besides him, all the reste of the chefe that were the executioners of

his rashe counsell, and of the Popes Donation, came to moste wretched and

unfortunate endes, as the aforesaide author there setteth downe in twoo

severall chapiters of Considerations, as he calleth them.

Moreover, since the fourme of the donation ronneth not absolutely, but

with this condition and chardge moste straightly enjoyned, viz., that the

Kinges of Spaine shoulde sende thither sober and godly men, and cause the

inhabitantes of those contries discovered or to be discovered to be

instructed in the Catholique faithe, and noseled in goodd manners, and

that they shoulde carefully applye themselves thereunto; wee answer, that

these conditions have bene wonderfully neglected, and that neither the

people have bene carefully instructed in relligion nor manners, and

consequently that the conditions beinge not perfourmed the donation oughte

of righte to be voide. For the Kinges of Spaine have sent suche helhoundes

and wolves thither as have not converted, but almoste quite subverted

them, and have rooted oute above fiftene millions of reasonable creatures,

as Bartholmewe de Casas, the Bisshoppe of Chiapa in the West Indies, a

Spaniarde borne, dothe write at large in a whole volume of that argumente.

And Gonsalvo de Ouiedo, another of their owne historiographers, and

Capitaine of the Castle of Sancto Domingo in Hispaniola, affirmeth the

like: For there hath Spaniardes come into these contries, saieth he,

which, havinge lefte their consciences and all feare of God and men

behinde them, have plaied the partes not of men, but of dragons and

infidells, and, havinge no respecte of humanitie, have bene the cause that

many Indians, that peradventure mighte have bene converted and saved, are

deade by divers and sondrie kindes of deathes. And althoughe those people

had not bene converted, yet if they had bene lett to live, they mighte

have bene profitable to your Majestie and an aide unto the Christians, and

certaine partes of the lande shoulde not wholy have bene disinhabited,

which by this occasion are altogether in a manner dispeopled. And they

that have bene the cause of suche destruction call this contrie thus

dispeopled and wasted, the contrie conquered and pacified; but I call it,

quoth Gonsaluo, the contrie which is destroyed and ruyned; yea, so farr

have they bene of from drawinge the Indians to the likinge of

Christianitie and true Relligion, that the sentence of the Apostle may

moste truly be verified of them, whoe saieth: The name of God is

blasphemed amonge the Gentiles throughe you; ffor proofe whereof you shall

not nede to reade but that which Peter Benzo of Milan hath written, whoe

remayned in these Indies, and served in the warres with the Spaniardes

againste the Indians for the space of fourtene yeres. This Benzo saieth

that the Indians, not havinge studied logicke, concluded very pertinently

and categorically, that the Spaniardes, which spoiled their contrie, were

more dangerous then wilde beastes, more furious then lyons, more fearefull

and terrible then fire and water, or any thinge that is moste outeragious

in the worlde. Some also called them the fome of the sea, others gave them

names of the beastes which are moste cruell and lyvinge of praye which

they have in their contrie. There were some likewise that called them

Tuira, as one would say, the Devills goodd grace.

Those thinges beinge thus, whoe seeth not that the Pope is frustrated of

the ende which he intended in his Donation, and so the same oughte not to

take effecte?

5. Ffiftly, yf yt be true and that the Pope mente goodd earnest, that all

Emperours and Kinges which should sende their subjectes or others to

discover withoute the Kinge of Spaines leave shoulde be excommunicated by

him, why did he not first excommunicate Kinge Henry the Seaventh for

sendinge furthe Sebastian Gabota with three hundred Englishemen, whoe by

Gomera his owne confession, discovered from 58. degrees in the northe to

38. degrees towardes the equinoctiall? Why did he not the like to Kinge

Henry the Eighte for sendinge to discover westwarde, in the xixth. yere of

his reigne, while he was yet in obedience to the Churche of Rome? Why was

he not offended and incensed againste Queene Mary, whoe suffered her

subjectes, in the yere 1556. to seke oute, by the northeaste, the way to

Cathaio and China, which are bothe within the pretended lymites of his

donation, as John Gaetan and other Spaniardes doe write? Why did he not

exercise his censures ecclesiasticall againste the Kinge of Ffraunce,

Fraunces the Firste, for sendinge furthe Verarsanus twise or thrise,

Iaques Cartier twise, and Robervall once, towardes the southwest and

northwest? Why was not Henry the Seconde of Fraunce excomunicated for

sendinge Villegagnon to inhabite in Brasill under the tropicke of

Capricorne? Or Charles the IXth. for aidinge Ribault firste, and after

Ladoniere, and a thirde tyme Ribault, to fortifie and inhabite in Florida?

Or why did he not thunder againste Emanuell, Kinge of Portingale, for

sufferinge Gasper Corterealis twise to seke to finde oute the northweste

passage, and one of his brothers another time afterwarde? Or wherefore did

he not openly rebuke the Kinge of Denmarke for sufferinge his subjecte,

John Scolno, a Dane, in the yere 1500. to seke the Straighte by the

northweste, of whome Gemma Frisius and Hieronymo Giraua, a Spaniarde, make

mention? Or what shoulde be the reason, that all these kinges of England,

Fraunce, Portingale and Denmarke, beinge otherwise all at these times in

obedience of the Churche of Rome, shoulde, withoute consente as yt were,

disanull and neuer make accompte of this Bull of the Pope? which thinge

doubtles they woulde never have don, yf they had bene fully perswaded in

their consciences, that if any Prince or Emperour, of what estate or

condition soever, shoulde attempte the contrary, as it is in the

conclusion of the said Bull, he shoulde be assured to incurr the

indignation of Almightie God and of the Apostles St. Peter and St. Pawle.

But nowe, seinge all the kinges aforesaide sente all their subjectes to

discover beyonde the Popes partition lyne withoute the leave or permission

of the Spaniarde, they seme with one accorde to testifie unto the worlde,

that they made no reconynge of the breache of that Bull, as of an acte

moste unjuste, moste unreasonable, and moste prejudiciall to all other

Christian princes of the worlde.

Againe; yt were small charitie in the Popes to curse those Princes that

have bene or are willinge to employe their treasures and people in

advauncinge the honour and glory of God, and the lawfull enrichinge and

benefite of their people. And whatsoeuer Pope shoulde excommunicate or

curse any Christian prince for seekinge to reduce to the knowledge of God

and to civill manners those infinite multitudes of infidells and heathen

people of the West Indies, which the Spaniardes in all this time have not

so moche as discovered, moche less subdued or converted, his curse woulde

lighte upon his owne heade, and, to those which he cursed undeservedly,

woulde be turned to a blessinge.

To be shorte; thoughe Pope Alexander the vj’th by his unequall division,

hath so puffed upp and inflamed with pride his moste ambitious and

insatiable contrymen, that they are growen to this high conceite of

themselves, that they shall shortly attaine to be lordes and onely

seigniors of all the earthe, insomoche as Gonsaluo de Ouiedo sticketh not

to write to Charles the Emperour, sayenge: God hath geven you these Indies

_accio che vostra Maiesta sia universale et unico monarcha del mondo_—to

the intente that your Majesty shoulde be the universall and onely monarch

of the world; yet God that sitteth in heaven laugheth them and their

partitions to scorne, and he will abase and bringe downe their proude

lookes, and humble ther faces to the duste; yea, he will make them, at his

goodd time and pleasure, to confesse that the earthe was not made for them

onely; as he hath already shewed unto the Portingales, which, not longe

since, takinge upon them to devide the worlde with lynes, doe nowe beholde

the line of Gods juste judgmente drawen over themselves and their owne

kingdome and possessions. And nowe, no doubte, many of them remember that

the threateninge of the prophet hath taken holde upon them, whoe

pronounceth an heavie woe againste all suche as spoile, because they

themselves shall at length be spoiled.

6. Finally, to come to the sixte and laste pointe, yf you consider what

recompense the Kinges of Spaine have made to the Popes for this so greate

a benefite bestowed upon them, you shall easely see and acknowledge with

me, that they were either moste ungrateful, or, which is moste likely,

that they never thoughte that they helde the Indies as the Popes gifte

unto them, or that their title unto those regions depended upon his

francke almes or liberalitie; ffor, if they had don soe, they coulde have

done no lesse but have geven him the presentation of all archebisshopricks

and bisshoprickes, and other greate ecclesiastical promotions in

recompence of their former and large curtesie, wherein they have don the

flatt contrary, reservinge onely unto themselves the presentation and

patronage of all the archebisshopricks and bisshopricks that they have

erected in the West Indies; ffor, as Gomera saieth in his 6. booke and 23.

chapiter of his Generall Historie of the Indies, the Kinge of Spaine is

patrone of all the archebisshopricks, bysshoprickes, dignities, and

benefices of the West Indies, and so he onely appointeth and presenteth

them, so that he is absolute lorde of the Indies.

This argueth that the Kinges of Spaine never made any greate accompte of

the Popes Donation, but onely to blinde the eyes of the worlde with the

sea of Rome; ffor doubtles, if they had acknowledged their tenure to

depende, as I saied, of the Popes mere liberalitie, they woulde have don

otherwise, and woulde have requited them farr otherwise then by excludinge

them quite oute, and makinge themselves absolute patrones of all

ecclesiasticall dignities whatsoever.

Chap. XX. A briefe collection of certaine reasons to induce her Majestie

and the state to take in hande the westerne voyadge and the plantinge

there.

1. The soyle yeldeth, and may be made to yelde, all the severall

comodities of Europe, and of all kingdomes, domynions, and territories

that England tradeth withe, that by trade of marchandize cometh into this

realme.

2. The passage thither and home is neither to longe nor to shorte, but

easie, and to be made twise in the yere.

3. The passage cutteth not nere the trade of any prince, nor nere any of

their contries or territories, and is a safe passage, and not easie to be

annoyed by prince or potentate whatsoever.

4. The passage is to be perfourmed at all times of the yere, and in that

respecte passeth our trades in the Levant Seas within the Straites of

Juberalter, and the trades in the seas within the Kinge of Denmarkes

Straite, and the trades to the portes of Norwey and of Russia, &c.; for as

in the south weste Straite there is no passage in somer by lacke of

windes, so within the other places there is no passage in winter by yse

and extreme colde.

5. And where England nowe for certen hundreth yeres last passed, by the

peculiar comoditie of wolles, and of later yeres by clothinge of the same,

hath raised it selfe from meaner state to greater wealthe and moche higher

honour, mighte, and power then before, to the equallinge of the princes of

the same to the greatest potentates of this parte of the worlde: it cometh

nowe so to passe, that by the greate endevour of the increase of the trade

of wolles in Spaine and in the West Indies, nowe daily more and more

multiplienge, that the wolles of England, and the clothe made of the same,

will become base, and every day more base then other; which, prudently

weyed, yt behoveth this realme, yf it meane not to returne to former olde

meanes and basenes, but to stande in present and late former honour,

glorye, and force, and not negligently and sleepingly to slyde into

beggery, to foresee and to plante at Norumbega or some like place, were it

not for any thing els but for the hope of the vent of our woll indraped,

the principall and in effecte the onely enrichinge contynueinge naturall

comoditie of this realme. And effectually pursueinge that course, wee

shall not onely finde on that tracte of lande, and especially in that

firme northwarde (to whome warme clothe shalbe righte wellcome), an ample

vente, but also shall, from the north side of that firme, finde oute

knowen and unknowen ilandes and domynions replenisbed with people that may

fully vent the aboundance of that our comoditie, that els will in fewe

yeres waxe of none or of small value by forreine aboundaunce, &c.; so as

by this enterprice wee shall shonne the ymmynent mischefe hanginge over

our heades, that els muste nedes fall upon the realme, without breache of

peace or sworde drawen againste this realme by any forreine state; and not

offer our auncient riches to scornefull neighboures at home, nor sell the

same in effecte for nothinge, as wee shall shortly, if presently it be not

provaided for. The increase of the wolles of Spaine and America is of

highe pollicie, with greate desire of our overthrowe, endevoured; and the

goodnes of the forren wolles our people will not enter into the

consideration of, nor will not beleve aughte, they be so sotted with

opinion of their owne; and, yf it be not foresene and some such place of

vent provided, farewell the goodd state of all degrees in this realme.

6. This enterprise may staye the Spanishe Kinge from flowinge over all the

face of that waste firme of America, yf wee seate and plante there in

time, in tyme I say, and wee by plantinge shall lett him from makinge more

shorte and more safe returnes oute of the noble portes of the purposed

places of our plantinge, then by any possibilitie he can from the parte of

the firme that nowe his navies by ordinary courses come from, in this that

there is no comparison betwene the portes of the coastes that the Kinge of

Spaine dothe nowe possesse and use, and the portes of the coastes that our

nation is to possesse by plantinge at Norumbega and on that tracte faste

by, more to the northe and northeaste, and in that there is from thence a

moche shorter course, and a course of more temperature, and a course that

possesseth more contynuance of ordinary windes, then the present course of

the Spanishe Indian navies nowe dothe. And England possessinge the

purposed place of plantinge, her Majestie may, by the benefete of the

seate, havinge wonne goodd and royall havens, have plentie of excellent

trees for mastes, of goodly timber to builde shippes and to make greate

navies, of pitche, tarr, hempe, and all thinges incident for a navie

royall, and that for no price, and withoute money or request. Howe easie a

matter may yt be to this realme, swarminge at this day with valiant

youthes, rustinge and hurtfull by lacke of employment, and havinge goodd

makers of cable and of all sortes of cordage, and the best and moste

connynge shipwrights of the worlde, to be lordes of all those sees, and to

spoile Phillipps Indian navye, and to deprive him of yerely passage of his

treasure into Europe, and consequently to abate the pride of Spaine and of

the supporter of the greate Antechriste of Rome, and to pull him downe in

equalitie to his neighbour princes, and consequently to cut of the common

mischefes that come to all Europe by the peculiar aboundance of his Indian

treasure, and thiss withoute difficultie.

7. This voyadge, albeit it may be accomplished by barke or smallest

pynnesse for advise or for a necessitie, yet for the distaunce, for burden

and gaine in trade, the marchant will not for profitts sake use it but by

shippes of greate burden; so as this realme shall have by that meane

shippes of greate burden and of greate strengthe for the defence of this

realme, and for the defence of that newe seate, as nede shall require, and

withall greate increase of perfecte seamen, which greate princes in time

of warres wante, and which kinde of men are neither nourished in fewe

daies nor in fewe yeres.

8. This newe navie of mightie newe stronge shippes, so in trade to that

Norumbega and to the coastes there, shall never be subjecte to arreste of

any prince or potentate, as the navie of this realme from time to time

hath bene in the portes of the empire, in the portes of the Base Contries,

in Spaine, Fraunce, Portingale, &c., in the tymes of Charles the Emperour,

Fraunces the Frenche kinge, and others: but shall be alwayes free from

that bitter mischeefe, withoute grefe or hazarde to the marchaunte or to

the state, and so alwaies readie at the comaundement of the prince with

mariners, artillory, armor, and munition, ready to offende and defender as

shalbe required.

9. The greate masse of wealthe of the realme imbarqued in the marchantes

shippes, caried oute in this newe course, shall not lightly, in so farr

distant a course from the coaste of Europe, be driven by windes and

tempestes into portes of any forren princes, as the Spanishe shippes of

late yeres have bene into our portes of the Weste Contries, &c.; and so

our marchantes in respecte of a generall safetie from venture of losse,

are by this voyadge oute of one greate mischefe.

10. No forren commoditie that comes into England comes withoute payment of

custome once, twise, or thrise, before it come into the realme, and so all

forren comodities become derer to the subjectes of this realme; and by

this course to Norumbega forren princes customes are avoided; and the

forren comodities cheapely purchased, they become cheape to the subjectes

of England, to the common benefite of the people, and to the savinge of

greate treasure in the realme; whereas nowe the realme become the poore by

the purchasinge of forreine comodities in so greate a masse at so

excessive prices.

11. At the firste traficque with the people of those partes, the subjectes

of the realme for many yeres shall chaunge many cheape comodities of these

partes for thinges of highe valor there not estemed; and this to the

greate inrichinge of the realme, if common use faile not.

12. By the greate plentie of those regions the marchantes and their

factors shall lye there cheape, buye and repaire their shippes cheape, and

shall returne at pleasure withoute staye or restrainte of forreine prince;

whereas upon staies and restraintes the marchaunte raiseth his chardge in

sale over his ware; and, buyenge his wares cheape, he may mainteine trade

with smalle stocke, and withoute takinge upp money upon interest; and so

he shalbe riche and not subjecte to many hazardes, but shalbe able to

afforde the comodities for cheape prices to all subjectes of the realme.

13. By makinge of shippes and by preparinge of thinges for the same, by

makinge of cables and cordage, by plantinge of vines and olive trees, and

by makinge of wyne and oyle, by husbandrie, and by thousandes of thinges

there to be don, infinite nombers of the English nation may be set on

worke, to the unburdenynge of the realme with many that nowe lyve

chardgeable to the state at home.

14. If the sea coste serve for makinge of salte, and the inland for wine,

oiles, oranges, lymons, figges, &c. and for makinge of yron, all which

with moche more is hoped, withoute sworde drawen, wee shall cutt the combe

of the Frenche, of the Spanishe, of the Portingale, and of enemies, and of

doubtfull frendes, to the abatinge of their wealthe and force, and to the

greater savinge of the wealthe of the realme.

15. The substaunces servinge, wee may oute of those partes receave the

masse of wrought wares that now wee receave out of Fraunce, Flaunders,

Germanye, &c.: and so wee may daunte the pride of some enemies of this

realme, or at the leaste in parte purchase those wares, that nowe wee buye

derely of the Frenche and Flemynge, better cheape; and in the ende, for

the part that this realme was wonte to receave, dryve them out of trade to

idlenes for the settinge of our people on worke.

16. Wee shall by plantinge there inlarge the glory of the gospell, and

from England plante sincere religion, and provide a safe and a sure place

to receave people from all partes of the worlde that are forced to flee

for the truthe of Gods worde.

17. If frontier warres there chaunce to aryse, and if thereupon wee shall

fortifie, yt will occasion the trayninge upp of our youthe in the

discipline of warr, and make a nomber fitt for the service of the warres

and for the defence of our people there and at home.

18. The Spaniardes governe in the Indies with all pride and tyranie; and

like as when people of contrarie nature at the sea enter into gallies,

where men are tied as slaves, all yell and crye with one voice, _Liberta,

liberta_, as desirous of libertie and freedome, so no doubte whensoever

the Queene of England, a prince of such clemencie, shall seate upon that

firme of America, and shalbe reported throughe oute all that tracte to use

the naturall people there with all humanitie, curtesie, and freedome, they

will yelde themselves to her governemente, and revolte cleane from the

Spaniarde, and specially when they shall understande that she hath a noble

navie, and that she aboundeth with a people moste valiaunte for theyr

defence. And her Majestie havinge Sir Fraunces Drake and other subjectes

already in credite with the Symerons, a people or greate multitude

alreadye revolted from the Spanishe governmente, she may with them and a

fewe hundrethes of this nation, trayned upp in the late warres of Fraunce

and Flaunders, bringe greate thinges to passe, and that with greate ease;

and this broughte so aboute, her Majestie and her subjectes may bothe

enjoye the treasure of the mynes of golde and silver, and the whole trade

and all the gaine of the trade of marchandize, that none passeth thither

by the Spaniardes onely hande, of all the comodities of Europe; which

trade of marchandise onely were of it selfe suffycient (withoute the

benefite of the rich myne) to inriche the subjectes, and by customes to

fill her Majesties coffers to the full. And if it be highe pollicie to

mayneteyne the poore people of this realme in worke, I dare affirme that

if the poore people of England were five times as many as they be, yet all

mighte be sett on worke in and by workinge lynnen, and suche other thinges

of marchandize as the trade in the Indies dothe require.

19. The present shorte trades causeth the maryner to be caste of and ofte

to be idle, and so by povertie to fall to piracie. But this course to

Norumbega beinge longer, and a contynuance of the employmente of the

maryner, dothe kepe the maryner from ydlenes and necessitie; and so it

cutteth of the principall actions of piracie, and the rather because no

riche praye for them to take cometh directly in their course or any thing

nere their course.

20. Many men of excellent wittes and of divers singuler giftes,

overthrowen by sea, or by some folly of youthe, that are not able to live

in England, may there be raised againe, and doe their contrie goodd

service; and many nedefull uses there may (to greate purpose) require the

savinge of greate nombers, that for trifles may otherwise be devoured by

the gallowes.

21. Many souldiers and servitours, in the ende of the warres, that mighte

be hurtfull to this realme, may there be unladen, to the common profite

and quiet of this realme, and to our forreine benefite there, as they may

be employed.

22. The frye of the wandringe beggars of England, that growe upp ydly, and

hurtefull and burdenous to this realme, may there be unladen, better bredd

upp, and may people waste contries to the home and forreine benefite, and

to their owne more happy state.

23. If Englande crie oute and affirme, that there is so many in all trades

that one cannot live for another, as in all places they doe, this

Norumbega (if it be thoughte so goodd) offreth the remedie.

Chap. XXI. A note of some thinges to be prepared for the voyadge, which is

sett downe rather to drawe the takers of the voyadge in hande to the

presente consideration, then for any other reason; for that divers thinges

require preparation longe before the voyadge, withoute the which the

voyadge is maymed.

Dead Victuall.

Hoggs fleshe, barrelled and salted, in greate quantitie.

Befe, barrelled, in lesse quantitie.

Stockfishe, Meale in barrells.

Oatemeale, in barrells, nere cowched.

Ryse, Sallett Oile, barrelied Butter.

Cheese, Hony in barrells.

Currans, Raisons of the sonne.

Dried Prunes, Olives in barrells.

Beanes, dryed on the kill.

Pease, dried likewise.

Canary Wines, Hollocke.

Sacks racked.

Vinegar very stronge.

Aqua Vitæ.

Syders of Ffraunce, Spaine, and England.

Bere, brewed specially in speciall tyme.

Victuall by Rootes And Herbes.

Turnep Seede.

Passeneape Sede.

Radishe.

Cariott.

Naviewes.

Garlicke.

Onyons.

Leekes.

Melons.

Pompions.

Cowcombers.

Cabage Cole.

Parseley.

Lettis.

Endiffe.

Alexander.

Orege.

Tyme.

Rosemary.

Mustard Seede.

Fennell.

Anny Seedes, newe and freshe to be sowen.

The Encrese, Renewe, and the Continewe of Victuall at the Plantinge

Places, and Men and Thinges Incident and Tendinge to the Same.

Bores, Sowes.

Conies, Bucke and Dowe.

Doves, male and female.

Cockes, Hennes.

Duckes, male and female, for lowe soiles.

Turkies, male and female.

Wheat, Rye, Barley.

Bigge, or Barley Bere.

Oates, Beanes.

Pease, Ffacches.

Three square Graine.

Suger cane planters with the plantes.

Vyne planters.

Olyve planters.

Gardiners for herbes, rootes, and for all earthe frutes.

Graffers for frute trees.

Hunters, skilfull to kill wilde beasts for vittell.

Warryners to breede conies and to kill vermyn.

Fowlers.

Sea Fisshers.

Fresh water Fisshers.

Knytters of netts.

Butchers.

Salters and seasoners of vittell.

Salte makers.

Cookes.

Bakers.

Brewers.

Greyhounds to kill deere, &c.

Mastives to kill heavie beastes of rapyne and for nighte watches.

Bloude houndes to recover hurte dere.

Provisions Tendinge to Force.

Men experte in the arte of fortification.

Platformes of many formes redied to carry with you by advise of the

best.

Capitaines of longe and of greate experience.

Souldiers well trayned in Fflaunders to joyne with the younger.

Harqubusshiers of skill.

Archers, stronge bowmen.

Bowyers.

Ffletchers.

Arrow head makers.

Bow stave preparers.

Glew makers.

Morryce pike makers, and of halbert staves.

Makers of spades and shovells for pyoners, trentchers, and forte

makers.

Makers of basketts to cary earthe to fortes and rampiers.

Pioners and spademen for fortification.

Salte peter makers.

Gonne powder makers.

Targett makers of hornes, defensive againste savages.

Oylethole doublett makers, defensive, lighte and gentle to lye in.

Turners of targetts of elme, and of other toughe woodds lighte.

Shippes, Pynesses, Barkes, Busses with flatt bottoms, furnished with

experte Seamen.

Swifte boates and barges to passe by winde and oare, covered with

quilted canvas of defence againste shott from the shoare, to perce

ryvers for discoverie, and to passe to and froe, offensive and

defensive againste savages devised by Mr. Bodenham of Spaine.

Shipwrights in some nomber to be employed on the timber.

Oare makers, and makers of cable and cordage.

Provisions Incident to the First Traficque and Trade of Marchandize.

Grubbers and rooters upp of cipres, cedars and of all other faire

trees, for to be employed in coffers, deskes, &c., for traficque.

Mattocks, narrowe and longe, of yron to that purpose.

Millwrights, to make milles for spedy and cheap sawinge of timber

and boardes for trade, and first traficque of sucrue.

Millwrights, for corne milles.

Sawyers, for comon use.

Carpinters, for buildinges.

Joyners, to cutt oute the boordes into chests to be imbarqued for

England.

Blacksmithes, to many greate and nedefull uses.

Pitche makers.

Tarr makers.

Burners of asshes for the trade of sope asshes.

Cowpers, for barrells to inclose those asshes.

Tallow chandlers, to prepare the tallowe to be incasked for England.

Waxechandlers, to prepare waxe in like sorte.

Diers, to seeke in that firme that riche cochinilho and other

thinges for that trade.

Mynerall men.

Artesanes, Servinge our Firste Planters, Not in Traficque But For

Buildinges.