And The Same, Who Feeleth This Inclination In
Himself, By All Likelihood May Hope Or Rather Confidently Repose In
The
Preordinance of God, that in this last age of the world (or likely
never) the time is complete of receiving
Also these gentiles into His
mercy, and that God will raise Him an instrument to effect the same;
it seeming probable by event of precedent attempts made by the
Spaniards and French sundry times, that the countries lying north of
Florida God hath reserved the same to be reduced into Christian
civility by the English nation. For not long after that Christopher
Columbus had discovered the islands and continent of the West Indies
for Spain, John and Sebastian Cabot made discovery also of the rest
from Florida northwards to the behoof of England.
And whensoever afterwards the Spaniards, very prosperous in all their
southern discoveries, did attempt anything into Florida and those
regions inclining towards the north, they proved most unhappy, and
were at length discouraged utterly by the hard and lamentable success
of many both religious and valiant in arms, endeavouring to bring
those northerly regions also under the Spanish jurisdiction, as if God
had prescribed limits unto the Spanish nation which they might not
exceed; as by their own gests recorded may be aptly gathered.
The French, as they can pretend less title unto these northern parts
than the Spaniard, by how much the Spaniard made the first discovery
of the same continent so far northward as unto Florida, and the French
did but review that before discovered by the English nation, usurping
upon our right, and imposing names upon countries, rivers, bays,
capes, or headlands as if they had been the first finders of those
coasts; which injury we offered not unto the Spaniards, but left off
to discover when we approached the Spanish limits; even so God hath
not hitherto permitted them to establish a possession permanent upon
another's right, notwithstanding their manifold attempts, in which the
issue hath been no less tragical than that of the Spaniards, as by
their own reports is extant.
Then, seeing the English nation only hath right unto these countries
of America from the Cape of Florida northward by the privilege of
first discovery, unto which Cabot was authorised by regal authority,
and set forth by the expense of our late famous King Henry the
Seventh; which right also seemeth strongly defended on our behalf by
the powerful hand of Almighty God withstanding the enterprises of
other nations; it may greatly encourage us upon so just ground, as is
our right, and upon so sacred an intent, as to plant religion (our
right and intent being meet foundations for the same), to prosecute
effectually the full possession of those so ample and pleasant
countries appertaining unto the crown of England; the same, as is to
be conjectured by infallible arguments of the world's end approaching,
being now arrived unto the time of God prescribed of their vocation,
if ever their calling unto the knowledge of God may be expected.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 3 of 28
Words from 1173 to 1681
of 14986
