PREPARER'S NOTE
This text is one of the items included in Voyages and Travels:
Ancient and Modern and was prepared from a 1910 edition,
published by P F Collier & Son Company, New York.
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
Sir Humphrey Gilbert, the founder of the first English colony in North
America, was born about 1539, the son of a Devonshire gentleman, whose
widow afterward married the father of Sir Walter Raleigh. He was
educated at Eton and Oxford, served under Sir Philip Sidney's father
in Ireland, and fought for the Netherlands against Spain. After his
return he composed a pamphlet urging the search for a northwest
passage to Cathay, which led to Frobisher's license for his
explorations to that end.
In 1578 Gilbert obtained from Queen Elizabeth the charter he had long
sought, to plant a colony in North America. His first attempt failed,
and cost him his whole fortune; but, after further service in Ireland,
he sailed again in 1583 for Newfoundland. In the August of that year
he took possession of the harbor of St. John and founded his colony,
but on the return voyage he went down with his ship in a storm south
of the Azores.
The following narrative is an account of this last voyage of
Gilbert's, told by Edward Hayes, commander of "The Golden Hind," the
only one to reach England of the three ships which set out from
Newfoundland with Gilbert.
The settlement at St. John was viewed by its promoter as merely the
beginning of a scheme for ousting Spain from America in favor of
England. The plan did not progress as he hoped; but after long delays,
and under far other impulses than Gilbert ever thought of, much of his
dream was realized.
SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT'S VOYAGE TO NEWFOUNDLAND
A report of the Voyage and success thereof, attempted in the year
of our Lord 1583, by Sir Humphrey Gilbert, Knight, with other
gentlemen assisting him in that action, intended to discover and
to plant Christian inhabitants in place convenient, upon those
large and ample countries extended northward from the Cape of
Florida, lying under very temperate climes, esteemed fertile and
rich in minerals, yet not in the actual possession of any
Christian prince. Written by Mr. Edward Hayes, gentleman, and
principal actor in the same voyage,[*] who alone continued unto
the end, and, by God's special assistance, returned home with his
retinue safe and entire.
[*] Hayes was captain and owner of the /Golden Hind/, Gilbert's Rear-
Admiral.
Many voyages have been pretended, yet hitherto never any thoroughly
accomplished by our nation, of exact discovery into the bowels of
those main, ample, and vast countries extended infinitely into the
north from thirty degrees, or rather from twenty-five degrees, of
septentrional latitude, neither hath a right way been taken of
planting a Christian habitation and regiment (government) upon the
same, as well may appear both by the little we yet do actually possess
therein, and by our ignorance of the riches and secrets within those
lands, which unto this day we know chiefly by the travel and report of
other nations, and most of the French, who albeit they cannot
challenge such right and interest unto the said countries as we,
neither these many years have had opportunity nor means so great to
discover and to plant, being vexed with the calamities of intestine
wars, as we have had by the inestimable benefit of our long and happy
peace, yet have they both ways performed more, and had long since
attained a sure possession and settled government of many provinces in
those northerly parts of /America/, if their many attempts into those
foreign and remote lands had not been impeached by their garboils at
home.
The first discovery of these coasts, never heard of before, was well
begun by John Cabot the father and Sebastian his son, an Englishman
born, who were the first finders out of all that great tract of land
stretching from the Cape of Florida, into those islands which we now
call the Newfoundland; all which they brought and annexed unto the
crown of England. Since when, if with like diligence the search of
inland countries had been followed, as the discovery upon the coast
and outparts thereof was performed by those two men, no doubt her
Majesty's territories and revenue had been mightily enlarged and
advanced by this day; and, which is more, the seed of Christian
religion had been sowed amongst those pagans, which by this time might
have brought forth a most plentiful harvest and copious congregation
of Christians; which must be the chief intent of such as shall make
any attempt that way; or else whatsoever is builded upon other
foundation shall never obtain happy success nor continuance.
And although we cannot precisely judge (which only belongeth to God)
what have been the humours of men stirred up to great attempts of
discovering and planting in those remote countries, yet the events do
shew that either God's cause hath not been chiefly preferred by them,
or else God hath not permitted so abundant grace as the light of His
word and knowledge of Him to be yet revealed unto those infidels
before the appointed time. But most assuredly, the only cause of
religion hitherto hath kept back, and will also bring forward at the
time assigned by God, an effectual and complete discovery and
possession by Christians both of those ample countries and the riches
within them hitherto concealed; whereof, notwithstanding, God in His
wisdom hath permitted to be revealed from time to time a certain
obscure and misty knowledge, by little and little to allure the minds
of men that way, which else will be dull enough in the zeal of His
cause, and thereby to prepare us unto a readiness for the execution of
His will, against the due time ordained of calling those pagans unto
Christianity.
In the meanwhile it behoveth every man of great calling, in whom is
any instinct of inclination unto this attempt, to examine his own
motions, which, if the same proceed of ambition or avarice, he may
assure himself it cometh not of God, and therefore cannot have
confidence of God's protection and assistance against the violence
(else irresistible) both of sea and infinite perils upon the land;
whom God yet may use as an instrument to further His cause and glory
some way, but not to build upon so bad a foundation.
