Trade of Muscovy, and return in the navigable
season of the year, and from S. Nicholas, Ciremissi, Tartarii, which
standeth 80 degrees of the septentrional latitude, it is at the left
400 leagues, which amounteth scarce to the third part of the way, to
the end of your voyage by the north-east.
5. And yet, after you have doubled this Cape, if then there might
be found a navigable sea to carry you south-east according to your
desire, yet can you not winter conveniently until you come to sixty
degrees and to take up one degree running south-east you must sail
twenty-four leagues and three four parts, which amounteth to four
hundred and ninety-five leagues.
6. Furthermore, you may by the north-west sail thither, with all
easterly winds, and return with any westerly winds, whereas you must
have by the north-east sundry winds, and those proper, according to
the lie of the coast and capes, you shall be enforced to double,
which winds are not always to be had when they are looked for;
whereby your journey should be greatly prolonged, and hardly endured
so near the Pole, as we are taught by Sir Hugh Willoughbie, who was
frozen to death far nearer the south.
7. Moreover, it is very doubtful whether we should long enjoy that
trade by the north-east if there were any such passage that way, the
commodities thereof once known to the Muscovite, what privilege
soever he hath granted, seeing pollice with the maze of excessive
gain, to the enriching of himself and all his dominions, would
persuade him to presume the same, having so great opportunity, to
distribute the commodities of those countries by the Naruc.
But by the north-west we may safely trade without danger or
annoyance of any prince living, Christian or heathen, it being out
of all their trades.
8. Also the Queen's Majesty's dominions are nearer the North-West
Passage than any other great princes that might pass that way, and
both in their going and return they must of necessity succour
themselves and their ships upon some part of the same if any
tempestuous weather should happen.
Further, no prince's navy of the world is able to encounter the
Queen's Majesty's navy as it is at this present; and yet it should
be greatly increased by the traffic ensuing upon this discovery, for
it is the long voyages that increase and maintain great shipping.
Now it seemeth unnecessary to declare what commodities would grow
thereby if all these things were as we have heretofore presupposed
and thought them to be; which next adjoining are briefly declared.
CHAPTER X. - WHAT COMMODITIES WOULD ENSUE, THIS PASSAGE ONCE
DISCOVERED.
1. It were the only way for our princes to possess the wealth of
all the east parts (as they term them) of the world, which is
infinite; as appeareth by the experience of Alexander the Great in
the time of his conquest of India and the east parts of the world,
alleged by Quintus Curtius, which would be a great advancement to
our country, wonderful enriching to our prince, and unspeakable
commodities to all the inhabitants of Europe.
