A true reporte, of the late discoueries, and possession, taken in the right of the Crowne of Englande, of the new-found landes: by that valiaunt and worthye gentleman, Sir Humfrey Gilbert Knight Wherein is also breefely sette downe, her highnesse lawfull tytle therevnto, and the great and manifolde commodities, that is likely to grow thereby, to the whole realme in generall, and to the aduenturers in particular. Together with the easines and shortnes of the voyage. Seene and allowed.

¶The third Chapter dooth shewe the lawfull tytle, which the Queenes most excellent Maiestie hath vnto those Coun∣tries, which through the ayde of almightie God are mente to be inhabited.

AND it is very euident that the planting there shall in time right amplie enlarge her Ma∣iesties Territories and Dominions (or I might rather say) restore her to her Highnesse auncient right and interest in those Countries, into the which a noble and woor∣thy personage, lyneally descended from the blood royall, borne in VVales, named Madocke ap Owen Gwyneth depar∣ting from the coast of England, about the yeere of our Lord God. 1170. arriued and there planted himselfe, and his Colonies, and afterward returned himselfe into Eng∣land, leauing certaine of his people there, as appeareth in an auncient Welch Chronicle, where he then gaue to cer∣taine Ilandes, Beastes, and Fowles, sundrie VVelch names, as the Iland of Pengwyn, which yet to this day beareth the same.

There is lykewise a Fowle in the sayde Countries, cal∣led by the same name at this daye, and is as much to saye in Englishe, as VVhiteheadde, and in trueth, the sayde Fowles haue white heads.

There is also in those Countries a fruite called Gaynethes which is likewise a welch word. Moreouer, there are diuers other welch wordes at this daie in vse, as Dauid Ingram a∣foresaide reporteth in his relations. All which most strong∣ly argueth, the saide Prince with his people to haue inha∣bited there. And the same in effect is confirmed by Mutu∣zuma that mightie Emperor of Mexico, who in an Orati∣on vnto his subiects, for the better pacifying of them, made in the presence of Hernando Curtese, vsed these speeches following.

My kinsemen, freends, and sernaunts, you do well know that eigteene yeeres I haue been your King, as my Fathers and Grandfathers were, and alwaies I haue beene vnto you a louing Prince, and you vnto me good and obedient sub∣iects, and so I hope you will remaine vnto me all the daies of my life. You ought to haue in remembraunce, that ey∣ther you haue heard of your Fathers, or else our diuines haue instructed you that we are not naturallie of this Coū∣trie, nor yet our Kingdome is durable, because our Fore∣fathers came from a farre countrie, and their King and Captaine who brought them hither, returned againe to his natural countrie, saying, that he would send such as should rule and gouerne vs, if by chaunce he himselfe returned not, &c.

These be the verie words of Mutuzuma, set downe in the S••anish Chronicles, the which being throughlie conside∣red, because they haue relation to some straunge noble per∣son, who long before had possessed those Countries, doo all sufficientlie argue, the vndoubted title of her Maiestie: For as much as no other Nation can truelie by any Chro∣nicles they can finde, make prescription of time for them∣selues, before the time of this Prince Madocke. Besides all

this, for further proofe of her highnes title sithence the ar∣riuall of this noble Britton into those partes (that is to say) in the time of the Queenes Maiesties Grandfather, of wor¦thy memorie, King Henry the seuenth, Letters pattents were by his Maiestie graunted to Iohn Gabota an Italian, to Lewes, Sebastian, and Sansius, his three sonnes, to disco∣uer remoate, Barbarous and Heathen Countries, which discouery, was afterwards executed to the vse of the crown of England, in the sayd Kings time, by Sebastian and San∣sius his sonnes, who were borne heere in Englande: In true testimony whereof, there is a fayre Hauen in New∣founde Land, knowne and called vntill this day, by the name of Sansius Hauen, which prooueth that they firste discouered vpon that Coast, from the heyght of 63. vnto the Cape of Florida, as appeareth in the Decades.

And this may stande for another title to her Maie∣stie, but any of the foresayde titles is as much, or more then any other Christian Prince can pretende to the Indies before suche time as they had actuall possession thereof, obteyned by the discouery of Christopher Co∣lumnus, and the conquest of Vasques Numes de Balboa, Hernando Cortese, Francisco Pysare, and others. And therefore I thinke it needeles to write any more touching the lawfulnes of her Maiesties title.

Notes

• 1170. Owen Gwy¦neth, was then Prince of North-wales.
• Nullū tem pus occur∣rit Regi.
• This Iland was disco∣uered by Sir Humfrey & his cōpany, in this his last iorney.
• Who hath also seene berded men there, which can not bee naturall cū∣trimen, for that the A∣mericans are voide of beardes.
• Mutuzuma his Oration to his sub∣iects in pre∣sence of Hernando Curtese.
• which Ora∣tion was made about the yeere 1520.
• Looke the conquest of West Indi••s ••ol. 2 31.
• Ma. Oliue•• Dalbony. Ma. Edward. Reow. Ma. R. H. Ma. I. A.