The golden fleece diuided into three parts, vnder which are discouered the errours of religion, the vices and decayes of the kingdome, and lastly the wayes to get wealth, and to restore trading so much complayned of. Transported from Cambrioll Colchos, out of the southermost part of the iland, commonly called the Newfoundland, by Orpheus Iunior, for the generall and perpetuall good of Great Britaine.

CHAP. 7.

Apolloes Censure of Sir Thomas Buttons voyage to the Northwest Passage.

His Directions for the preseruation of health in fro∣sty seasons, and for the preuenting of the Scuruy.

An Elegy in their commendations which aduentu∣red their persons for the discouery of the afore∣said Passage.

APollo seemed much delighted with these narrations of Sir Thomas Button; and to let the vertuous of Parnassus know some∣what more of these remarkeable euents, hee made this discourse: How many famous Captaines here haue I admitted into my Court, which neuer entred into these hidden and magisteriall secrets of nature? Nay, how many wise Philosophers bee there here graced with my fauours, which vnder∣stand not these wonders of naturall effects? This Gentleman hath sufficiently performed his part in the discouery of the Northwest passage, conside∣ring the power limited vnto him by his Commissi∣on, which hee might not with safety transgresse. Yet I could wish such as bee in authority in

assigning the like Commissions hereafter, to adde that Clause, which King Henry the eight of Eng∣land sometimes vsed to enable his Generals with, that if that seruice proued disastrous and vnfortu∣nate, notwithstanding the former words of the Commission, they should preserue the Honour of their King and Country by some braue exploit of their owne proiecting. For many occurrences may, like rubbes, light in their way, which the cleerest Eyes of State could not possibly foresee. Sometimes the Enemy may haue a siluer bridge by slye intelligencers into his Neighbours Land. Sometimes a Commander may meet with a good booty at Sea, though he were beaten off from the Land. Or if one place be strongly barricadoed, hee may finde another most easily to be wonne. What ouerthrew and vtterly dispersed the inuincible Ar∣mada in 1588. but the precise relye, which the Spanish Admirall stood vpon in regard of his Com∣mission limited by the Councell of Spaine? Let this suffice to excuse Sir Thomas Button for his not entring into one of the two passages, which he suspected to crowne the Discouerers voyage with eternall fame. And now to enter into the lat∣ter points of those secrets, which he mentions to haue tried, so vsefull for his peoples health; know this, O ye that study Physicke, that as Hippocrates wrote, mens inward parts, specially the stomacke, is hotter in Winter then in Summer. Looke in an extreame frosty Winter, how all the sap and ver∣tue of Plants and Hearbs, shoote inwardly, and descend into the root, running thither as to their

sanctuary, refuge, and last helpe in nature. Euen so stands it with the body of man, which for ve∣getation and vigorous constitution, may in some sort be compared to a Plant. In Summer, the heat and radicall moysture is dispersed here and there, vp and downe, and through all the parts of the body, so that the heat in the stomacke is of a mild oily warmth, and at that time more truely natu∣rall, then in the winter. For Experience teacheth, and Anatomists confirme it, that in the winter, chiefly in frosty weather, mans liueliest heate set∣leth it selfe in the stomacke, neere the heart, the center and root of life, the other parts being op∣pressed with cold. There likewise it will beginne quickly to inflame in frosty seasons. When the raw ayre gets into the body at the mouth, and at the pores, or at such time, when these pores of the skinne and outward superficies become thick∣ned, whereby the spirits may not haue their free euaporation. Hence grow oppilations and obstru∣ctions; and consequently the Scuruy, being aided on by the meseraicall veines, full of putrified dam∣pish blood, or by the melancholike spleen, swolne with too much windy nourishment. For the aba∣ting of which infirmities, moyst opening medi∣cines of a biting nature, cooling and piercing liquors, somewhat of a milky mildnesse, and the iuyce of springing hearbs, must bee regarded by a wise Phisitian, and preferred before strong liquors and fiery Drinkes, which commonly are too too binding. I doe therefore much commend this Knight for this carefull obseruation, as for the

discouering of those tender Plants which Iaques Cartier applaudes to be so soueraigne against the Scuruy, and called Anneda, by the Sauages of Ca∣nada. But now of late yeares, this precious Plant hath beene sought after by Champleine and other Frenchmen, albeit without successe; vntill this Gen∣tleman renewed the memorie therof. And most fa∣mous had he yet been, if he had transported hither some Setsor Slips of these powerful Plants, which by this time might haue increased to succour many an honest mans life distressed by this hidden & tre∣cherous Guest. I haue spoken the more largely of this sicknesse, because our moderne Practitioners in Phisicke should take this obseruation for a watch∣word, that most of the new diseases, Agues, pu∣tride Feuers, and such sicknesses as spring in the winter or in the beginning of the Spring, they be but waiting-Maids to this traiterous Lady; & for this cause, let them beginne their Cure with the Scuruy, and with the cleansing of the Bloud, and the rest will vanish away, as it were by miracle.

As soone as Apollo had ended this speech, hee charged Hippocrates, Galen, Aegineta, and other famous Phisicians, to take care ouer all the English Sailers, which from thenceforth, should hazard their liues to the Indies. He likewise commanded the East Indies Company to be more bountifull to the poore Widowes, whose Husbands chanced to miscarry in their seruice. Lastly, his Maiestie cau∣sed the London Merchants to ioyne together for the prosecuting further of the Northwest passage, and for the honour of those braue spirits, which

had already aduentured their persons in the disco∣uery, to ingraue on a brazen Table these verses following, and the same to place as a Frontispice on the Delphicke Palace:

Orbis in Occiduâ latitat via parte sub Arcto, Ducit ad Eoum qu•• magis apta mare. Dux Frobisherus, Dauis, Hudson, et inclitus ausis Buttonus validis hanc petiere viam. Cambria non tantum, sed et Anglia laudibus effert Te, Buttone, suis; aequiparátque D••ako. De quot te memorem saluum euasisse periclis? Sint testes Indus, Maurus, Iērnus, Iber. Non glomerata tibi Glacies imperuia ferro, Non Hyemis longae nix numerosa nocet: Quin tunc vlterius transisses, altera naui; Obuia succedens sireleuasset onus: Albioné mque nouam nobis incognita Meta Tum benc vulgasset per fretanostramaris.

Neere to the Pole, there lurkes within the West, A shorter way to saile into the East. Braue Furbisher, Danis, and bold Hudson Sought out this way with the valiant Button. Not onely Wales, but England rings his name, And with great Drake compares our Buttons fame Though Ireland, Spaine, India, and Affrick rage, To beare the brunts of his stout Pilgrimage: Yet they will prize him more, when more they know How he endur'd a winter deep with' Snow. For eight moneths space, besides the Icy hills, Which Natures eares with strange amazemēt fils.

And if supplies had come in his distresse, New Pillars he, like those of Hercules, Had raisd, but with Plus vltra in the place, Where Drakes new Albion waites for Britaines race.