The voyage of the wandering knight. Deuised by Iohn Carthenie, a Frenchman: and translated out of French into English, by VVilliam Goodyear of South-hampton merchant. A vvorke vvorthie of reading, and dedicated to the Right worshipfull Sir Frauncis Drake, Knight

¶THE VVANDRING KNIGHT DECLARETH his intent and foolish enterprise, wishing and suppo∣sing in this world to finde true felicitie. The first Chapter.

MANY HISTORIOGRAPHERS both Poets and Orators, as well prophane as diuine, haue by writing notified diuers persons, with their voyages & aduentures. First, Iustin and Diodore of Sicilie haue made mention of the Argonautes voyage by Sea: that is to say, of Iason and his alies, Castor, Pollux, Hercules & other Péeres, to the Isle of Colchos, to win the golden Fliece, which a great Dragon kept. Also Homer a Gréeke Poet, writ in verse the wandring and Sea voyage of Vlisses & his companions, at their return from the Troyan warres. After him, Virgil, a most eloquent Latine Poet, set downe in verse the voyage of Aeneas in Italy, with his for∣tunes after the subuersion of Troye.

Now if we come to the sacred Histories, we shall finde first how Moses wrote of the Children of Israel, their going out of Aegypt into the Land of promise, & of the xlij. Mantions that they made in the Desart, for y^e space of for∣tie yeares. And how the foure Euangelists likewise most faithfully haue written of the holy peregrination of the bles∣sed Sonne of God, our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, who tooke vpon him our fraile and humaine nature. The selfe same Sauiour hath set downe a Parable of the voluptuous voyage of the prodigall Childe, and his retourne. Saint Luke very notably and sincerely hath deliuered in writing, the painfull and holy perigrination of that great vessell of election Saint Paule, together with the great trauell hée

tooke to preach the Gospell, and the faith of Iesus Christ, to all the Gentiles.

And now (by Gods grace) I mean to declare mine own voyage and aduentures, much like to that of the prodigall childe, who left his fathers house, and ranged into strange countries, wasting all his goods, liuing licentiously, but after he knew his lewdnesse, he returned backe to his father, of whom he was very louingly receiued. So I by great Folly counselled, in absenting my selfe far away, (not onely in bo∣die, but also in minde) from God my Father & Creator, haue wasted & consumed all the goods which this same my God & father had bountifully bestowed vpon me, in following the vaine pleasures of this life. But in the ende, I being inspi∣red with Diuine grace, acknowledged mine offences, & lea∣uing the dark Region of sinne and vanitie, through the aide & conduction of the diuine grace, am returned to mine eternal father, humbly requiring pardon & mercie: who of his vn∣speakable mercie, hath louingly receiued me. But how all this hath ben done, I will declare all vnto you, praieng you patiently to giue me the hearing, & attentiuely consider my talk, & well to note the whole, from y^e beginning to the ende.

After I had passed in all folly and lasciuiousnesse thrée wéekes of the yeares of mine age: that is to say, my Infan∣cie, childes age, and youth, which make together xxj. yeares: I entred into the age of a young man, which is the fourth wéeke of my age, which is betwéene xxij. and xxiiij. yeares. At xxv. I was minded to make a voiage by my foolish indu∣strie to séeke where in this world I might finde true feli∣citie and happinesse, which séemed to my sottish sense, an ea∣sie matter, being young, strong, wilde, hardie and couragi∣ously disposed. Me thought in my mind to liue in the world without felicitie, was a lyfe worse then death. But alas, be∣ing plunged in the déepe darknesse of ignoraunce. I con∣sidered not that true felicitie was the gifte of God from a∣boue, and cannot be atteined without his helpe.

Beeing robbed of reason, I thought it might come ease∣ly of my selfe, without the helpe of others: so that then I

sought true felicitie, where she is not, was not, nor euer shall be: as in riches, worldly pleasure, strength, honour, and de∣lights of the flesh. But I was in so thinking, as very a foole as he, who hopeth with anglyng lines, to take fishes in the Aire, or with Hounds to hunt the Hare in the Occean sea. Were it not thinke you, a great folly so to thinke? Euen the lyke is it, to thinke that true felycitie is to be found héere in this wretched world. And forsomuch as in perfect felicitie is comprehended all goodnesse, and that this world (as saith S. Iohn) is addicted and giuen to all euill, and subiect to hun∣ger, thirst, heate, colde, diseases, calamities, pride, ambition, co∣uetousnesse, and voluptuousnesse, it is euident that those which héere be liuing, supposing héere to finde true felicitie, are worse then fooles, and voyd of right reason.

True felicitie is not without goodnesse and vertue, which commeth from God aboue. If it be so, why then is it not a most wicked and presumptuous opinion to thinke that by a mans owne industrie he is able to possesse and enioye the faire lot of true felicitie. Therefore euery one that thinketh in this world, he may come to perfect felicitie and true bles∣sednesse, shall finde in fine as I found, for felicitie, vanitie: for good, euill.