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.

What commodities would ensue, this passage once discouered. Cap. 10.

FIrst, it were the onely way for our princes, to possesse the wealth of all the East parts (as they terme them) of the world, which is infinite: a•• appeareth by the experience of Alexander the great, in the time of his conquest of India, and other the East parts of the world, alleaged by Quintus Curtius, which would be a great aduancement to our countrey, a wonderfull inriching to our prince, and an vnspeakable commoditie to all the inhabitants of Europe.

2 For through the shortnesse of the voyage, we should be able to sell all maner of merchandize, brought from thence, farre better cheape then eit••er the Portugall or Spaniard doth or may do. And further, we should share with the Portugall in the East, & the Spaniard in the West, by tra∣ding to any part of America, thorow Mar del Sur, where they can no maner of way offend vs.

3 Also we might sayle to diuers very rich countreys, both ciuill and others, out of both their iurisdictions, trades and traffikes, where there is to be found great abundance of golde, siluer, precious stones, cloth of gold, silkes, all maner of spices, grocery wares, and other kinds of mer∣chandize of an inestimable price, which both the Spaniard and Portugall, through the length of their iournies, cannot well attaine vnto.

4 Also we might inhabite some part of those countryes, and settle there such needy people of our countrey, which now trouble the common wealth, and through want here at home are infor∣ced to commit outragious offences, whereby they are dayly consumed with the gallowes.

5 Moreouer, we might from all the aforesaid places haue a yeerely returne, inhabiting for our staple some conuenient place of America, about Sierra Neuada, or some other part, wheras it shal seeme best for the shortning of the voyage.

6 Beside vttering of our countrey commodities, which the Indians, &c. much esteeme: as appeareth in Hester, where the pompe is expressed of the great king of India, Assuerus, who mat∣ched the coloured clothes, wherewith his houses and tents were apparelled, with gold and siluer, as part of his greatest treasure: not mentioning either veluets, silkes, cloth of gold, cloth of sil∣uer, or such like, being in those countreyes most plentifull: whereby it plainly appeareth in what great estimation they would haue the clothes of this our countrey, so that there would be found a farre better vent for them by this meanes, then yet this realme euer had: and that without depen∣ding either vpon France, Spaine, Flanders, Portugall, Hamborow, Emden, or any other part of Europe.

7 Also, here we shall increase both our ships and mariners, without burthening of the state.

8 And also haue occasion to set poore mens children to learne handie craftes, and thereby to make trifles and such like, which the Indians and those people do much esteeme: by reason where∣of, there should be none occasion to haue our countrey combred with loiterers, vagabonds, and such like idle persons.

All these commodities would grow by following this our discouery, without iniury done to a∣ny Christian prince, by crossing them in any of their vsed trades, whereby they might take any iust occasion of offence.

Thus haue I briefly shewed you some part of the grounds of mine opinion, trusting that you will no longer iudge me fantasticke in this matter: seeing I haue conceiued no vaine hope of this voyage, but am perswaded thereunto by the best Cosmographers of our age, the same being con∣firmed both by reason and certaine experiences.

Also this discouery hath bene diuers times heretofore by others both offered, attempted, and performed.

It hath bene offered by Stephan Gomes vnto Carolus the fift Emperour, in the yeere of our

Lord God 1527, as Alphonso Vllua testifieth in the story of Carolus life: who would haue set him forth in it (as the story mentioneth) if the great want of money, by reason of his long warres had not caused him to su••cease the same.

And the king of Portugall fearing least the Emperour would haue perseuered in this his en∣terprise gaue him to lea••e the ma••ter vnattempted, the summe of 350000 crownes:* 1.1 and it is to be thought that the king of Portugall would not haue giuen to the Emperour such summes of money fo••••••ges in mooneshine.

I•• hath bene attempted by Sebastian Cabota in the time of king Henry the seuenth, by Cor∣terialis the Portugall•• and S••olmus the Da••e.* 1.2

And it hath bene performed by three brethren,* 1.3 the Indians aforesaid, and by Vrdaneta the Frier of Mexico.

Also diuers haue offered the like vnto the French king, who hath sent two or three times to haue discouered the same: The discouerers spending and consuming their victuals in searching the gulfes and bayes betweene Florida and Terra de Labrador, whereby the yce is broken to the after commers.

So that the right way may now easily be found out in short time: and that with litle ieoperdie and lesse expences.

For America is discouered so farre towardes the North as Cape Frio, which is at 62 degrees, and that part of Grondland next adioyning is knowen to stand but at 72 degrees.* 1.4 So that wee haue but 10 degrees to saile North & South, to put the world out of doubt hereof•• and it is likely that the king of Spaine, and the king of Portugall would not haue sit out all this while, but that they are sure to possesse to themselues all that trade they now vse, and feare to deale in this disco∣uery, least the Queenes Maiestie hauing so good opportunitie, and finding the commoditie which thereby might ••nsue to the common wealth, would cut them off, and enioy the whole traffique to her selfe, and thereby the Spaniards and Portugals,* 1.5 with their great charges, should beate the bush, and other men catch the birds: which thing they foreseeing, haue commanded that no pilot of theirs vpon paine of death, should seeke to discouer to the Northwest, or plat out in any Sea card any thorow passage that way by the Northwest.

Now, and if you will indifferently compare the hope that remaineth, to animate me to this en∣terprise, with those likelihoods which Columbus alleaged before Ferdinando the king of Casti∣lia, to prooue that there were such Ilands in the West Ocean, as were after by him and others discouered to the great commodity of Spaine and all the world: you will thinke then this North∣west passage to be most worthy trauell therein.

For Columbus had none of the West Ilands set foorth vnto him, either in globe or card, nei∣ther yet once mentioned of any writer (Plato excepted, and the commentaries vpon the same) from 942 yeeres before Christ, vntill that day.

Moreouer, Columbus himselfe had neither seene America nor any other of the Ilands about it, neither vnderstood he of them by the report of any other that had seene them, but only comfor∣ted himselfe with this hope, that the land had a beginning where the Sea had an ending: for as touching that which the Spaniards doe write of a Biscaine, which should haue taught him the way thither, it is thought to be imagined of them, to depriue Columbus of his honour, being none of their countrey man, but a stranger borne.

And if it were true of the Biscaine, yet did he but roue at the matter, or (at the least) gathered the knowledge of it, by coniectures onely.

And albeit my selfe haue not seene this passage or any part thereof, but am ignorant of it as touching experience (as Columbus was before his attempt made) yet haue I both the report, re∣lation, and authoritie of diuers most credible men, which haue both seene and passed through some and euery part of this discouery, besides sundry reasons for my assurance thereof: all which Co∣lumbus wanted.

These things considered, & indifferently weighed togither, with the wonderfull commodities which this discouery may bring, especially to this realme of England: I must needes conclude with learned Baptista Ramusius, and diuers other learned men, who said, that this discouery hath bene reserued for some noble prince or woorthie man, thereby to make himselfe rich, and the world happie•• desiring you to accept in good part this briefe and simple discourse, written in haste, which if I may perceiue that it shall not sufficiently satisfie you in this behalfe, I will then impart vnto you a large discourse, which I haue written onely of this discouery.

And further, because it sufficeth not only to know that such a thing there is, without abilitie to performe the same, I wil at leasure make you partaker of another simple discourse of nauigation,

wherein I haue not a litle trauelled, to make my selfe as sufficient to bring these things to effect, as I haue bene readie to offer my selfe therein.

And therein I haue deuised to amend the errors of vsuall sea cards, whose common fault is, to make the degrees of longitude in euery latitude of one like bignesse.

And haue al••o deuised therein a Spherical instrument, with a compasse of variation for the per∣fect knowing of the longitude.

And a precise order to pricke the sea card, together with certaine infallible rules for the short∣ning of any discouery, to know at the first ••ntring of any fret, whether it lie open to the Ocean more wayes then one, how farre soeuer the sea stretcheth it selfe into the land.

Desiring you hereafter neuer to mislike with me, for the taking in hande of any laudable and honest enterprise: for if through pleasure or idlenesse we purchase shame, the pleasure vanisheth, but the shame remaineth for euer.

* 1.6And therefore to giue me leaue without offence, alwayes to liue and die in this mind, That he is not worthy to liue at all, that for feare, or danger of death, shunneth his countries seruice, and his owne honour: seeing death is ineuitable, and the fame of vertue immortall. Where∣fore in this behalfe, Mutare vel timere sperno.

Notes

• * 1.1

  This discoue∣ry offered.
• * 1.2

  This discoue∣ry attempted.
• * 1.3

  This discoue∣ry performed.
• * 1.4

  The labour of this discouerie shortned by other mens trauell.
• * 1.5

  Why y^e kings of Spaine and Portugal would not perseuer in this discouery.
• * 1.6

  Pereas qui vm∣bras times.