All these commodities would grew by following this our discovery
without injury done to any Christian prince by crossing them in any
of their used trades, whereby they might take any just occasion of
offence.
Thus have I briefly showed you some part of the grounds of my
opinion, trusting that you will no longer judge me fantastic in this
matter, seeing I have conceived no hope of this voyage, but am
persuaded thereunto by the best cosmographers of our age, the same
being confirmed both by reason and certain experiences.
Also this discovery hath been divers times heretofore by others both
proposed, attempted, and performed.
It hath been proposed by Stephen Gomez unto Carolus, the fifth
emperor in the year of our Lord 1527, as Alphonse Ullva testifieth
in the story of Carolus' life, who would have set him forth in it
(as the story mentioneth) if the great want of money, by reason of
his long wars, had not caused him to surcease the same.
And the King of Portugal, fearing lest the emperor would have
persevered in this his enterprise, gave him, to leave the matter
unattempted, the sum of 350,000 crowns; and it is to be supposed
that the King of Portugal would not have given to the emperor such
sums of money for eggs in moonshine.
It hath been attempted by Corterialis the Portuguese, Scolmus the
Dane, and by Sebastian Cabot in the time of King Henry VII.
And it hath been performed by the three brethren, the Indians
aforesaid, and by Urdaneta, the friar of Mexico.
Also divers have proposed the like unto the French king, who hath
sent two or three times to have discovered the same; the discoverers
spending and consuming their victuals in searching the gulfs and
bays between Florida and Labrador, whereby the ice is broken to the
after-comers.
So that the right way may now be easily found out in short time, and
that with little jeopardy and less expenses.
For America is discovered so far towards the north as Cape Frido,
which is at 62 degrees, and that part of Greenland next adjoining is
known to stand but at 72 degrees; so that we have but 10 degrees to
sail north and south to put the world out of doubt hereof; and it is
likely that the King of Spain and the King of Portugal would not
have sat out all this while but that they are sure to possess to
themselves all that trade they now use, and fear to deal in this
discovery lest the Queen's Majesty, having so good opportunity, and
finding the commodity which thereby might ensue to the commonwealth,
would cut them off and enjoy the whole traffic to herself, and
thereby the Spaniards and Portuguese with their great charges should
beat the bush and other men catch the birds; which thing they
foreseeing, have commanded that no pilot of theirs, upon pain of
death, should seek to discover to the north-west, or plat out in any
sea-card any through passage that way by the north-west.
Now, if you will impartially compare the hope that remaineth to
animate me to this enterprise with those likelihoods which Columbus
alleged before Ferdinando, the King of Castilia, to prove that there
were such islands in the West Ocean as were after by him and others
discovered, to the great commodity of Spain and all the world, you
will think then that this North-West Passage to be most worthy
travel therein.
For Columbus had none of the West Islands set forth unto him either
in globe or card, neither yet once mentioned of any writer (Plato
excepted, and the commentaries upon the same) from 942 years before
Christ until that day.
Moreover, Columbus himself had neither seen America nor any other of
the islands about it, neither understood he of them by the report of
any other that had seen them, but only comforted himself with this
hope, that the land had a beginning where the sea had an ending.
For as touching that which the Spaniards do write of a Biscaine
which should have taught him the way thither, it is thought to be
imagined of them to deprive Columbus of his honour, being none of
their countryman, but a stranger born.
And if it were true of the Biscaine, yet did he but hit upon the
matter, or, at the least, gathered the knowledge of it by
conjectures only.
And albeit myself have not seen this passage, or any part thereof,
but am ignorant of it as touching experience as Columbus was before
his attempt was made, yet have I both the report, relation, and
authority of divers most credible men, which have both seen and
passed through some and every part of this discovery, besides sundry
reasons for my assurance thereof, all which Columbus wanted.
These things considered and impartially weighed together, with the
wonderful commodities which this discovery may bring, especially to
this realm of England, I must needs conclude with learned Baptista
Ramusius, and divers other learned men, who said that this discovery
hath been reserved for some noble prince or worthy man, thereby to
make himself rich, and the world happy: desiring you to accept in
good part this brief and simple discourse, written in haste, which,
if I may perceive that it shall not sufficiently satisfy you in this
behalf, I will then impart unto you a large discourse, which I have
written only of this discovery.
And further, because it sufficeth not only to knew that such a thing
there is, without ability to perform the same, I will at leisure
make you partaker of another simple discourse of navigation, wherein
I have not a little travelled, to make myself as sufficient to bring
these things to effect as I have been ready to offer myself therein.
