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.
And therein I have devised to amend the errors of usual sea-cards,
whose common fault is to make the degrees of longitude in every
latitude of one like bigness.
And have also devised therein a spherical instrument, with a compass
of variation for the perfect knowing of the longitude.
And a precise order to prick the sea-card, together with certain
infallible rules for the shortening of any discovery, to know at the
first entering of any strait whether it lies open to the ocean more
ways than one, how far soever the sea stretcheth itself into the
land.
Desiring you hereafter never to mislike with me for the taking in
hand of any laudable and honest enterprise, for if, through pleasure
and idleness, we purchase shame, the pleasure vanisheth, but the
shame remaineth for ever.
And therefore, to give me leave without offence always to live and
die in this mind, THAT HE IS NOT WORTHY TO LIVE AT ALL THAT FOR FEAR
OR DANGER OF DEATH SHUNNETH HIS COUNTRY'S SERVICE AND HIS OWN
HONOUR, seeing death is inevitable, and the fame of virtue immortal.
Wherefore, in this behalf, Mutare vel timere sperno.
