The principal nauigations, voyages, traffiques and discoueries of the English nation. [vols. 1-3] made by sea or ouer-land, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1600. yeres: deuided into three seuerall volumes, according to the positions of the regions, whereunto they were directed. The first volume containeth the worthy discoueries, &c. of the English ... The second volume comprehendeth the principall nauigations ... to the south and south-east parts of the world ... By Richard Hakluyt preacher, and sometime student of Christ-Church in Oxford.

An extract of Master Ralph Lanes letter to M. Richard Hakluyt Es∣quire, and another Gentleman of the middle Temple, from Virginia.

IN the meane while you shall vnderstand, that since Sir Richard Greenuils de∣parture from vs, as also before, we haue discouered the maine to be the goodliest soyle vnder the cope of heauen, so abounding with sweete trees, that bring such sundry rich and pleasant gummes, grapes of such greatnesse, yet wilde, as France, Spaine nor Italie haue no greater, so many sorts of Apothecarie drugs, such seuerall kindes of flaxe, & one kind like silke, the same gathered of a grasse, as common there, as grasse is here. And now within these few dayes we haue sound here Maiz or or Guinie wheate, whose eare yeeldeth corne for bread 400. vpon one eare, and the Cane maketh very good and perfect sugar, also Terra Samia, otherwise Terra sigillara. Besides that, it is the goodliest and most pleasing Territorie of the world: for the continent is of an huge and vnknowen greatnesse, and very well peopled and towned, though sauagely, and the climate to wholsome, that wee had not one sicke since we touched the land here. To conclude, if Virginia had ••ut horses and kine in some reasonable proportion, I dare as•••••••• my selfe being inhabited with English, no realme

in Christendome were comparable to it. For this already we finde, that what commodities soe∣uer Spaine, France, Italy, or the East partes doe yeeld vnto vs, in wiues of all sortes, in oyles,* 1.1 in flaxe, in rosens, pitch, frakensence, corrans, sugers, and such like, these parts doe abound with the growth of them all, but being Sauages that possesse the land, they know no vse of the same. And sundry other rich commodities, that no parts of the world, be they West or East Indies, haue, here wee finde great abundance of. The people naturally are most curteous, and very desirous to haue clothes,* 1.2 but especially of course cloth rather then silke, course canuas they also like well of, but cop∣per caryeth the price of all, so it be made red. Thus good M. Hakluyt and M.H. I haue ioyned you both in one letter of remembrance, as two that I loue dearely well, and commending me most heartily to you both, I commit you to the tuition of the Almightie.

From the new Fort in Vir∣ginia, this third of September, 1585.

Your most assured friend RALPH LANE.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The rich and manifold com∣modities o•• Virginia.
• * 1.2

  Commoditie•• fit to came to Virginia.