¶ The discription of the two viages made owt of Eng∣land into Guinea in Affrike at the charges of certeyne marchauntes aduenturers of the citie of Lon∣don, in the yeare of owre Lorde .M.D.LIII.
THat these vyages to Guinea are placed after the booke of Metals as separate from other vyages, the cause hereof is, that after I had delyuered the sayde booke of metalles to the handes of the printers, I was desyred by cer∣teyne my frendes to make summe mention of these viages, that sum memorie therof myght remayne to owr posteritie if eyther iniquitie of tyme consumynge all thinges, or ignoraunce creepynge in by barbarousnesse and contempte of knoweleage, shulde hereafter bury in obliuion so woorthy attemptes, so much the greatlyer to bee estemed as before ne∣uer enterprysed by Englysshe men, or at the leaste so frequen∣ted as at this present they are and may bee to the greate com∣moditie of owre marchauntes, if the same be not hyndered by thambision of such as for the conquestynge of fortie or fyftie myles here and there, and erectynge of certeyne fortresses or rather blockhouses amonge naked people,* 1.1 thinke thē selues woorthy to bee lordes of halfe the worlde, enuying that other shulde enioy the commodities which they them selues can not holy possesse. And although such as haue byn at charges in