.24 houres halfe the body of the Sunne is aboue the Horizon and the other halfe is vnder his only Center describing both the Horizon and the Equinoctiall circle And therefore séeing the greatest declination of the Sun is almost .24 degrées it followeth his greatest height in those Countries to be almost .24 degrées And so high is the Sun at noone to vs in Londō about the .29 of October being in the .15 degrée of Scorpio and likewise the .21 of Ianuary being in the .15 of Aquarius Therefore looke what force the Sun at noone hath in London the .29 of October the same force of heate it hathe to them that dwel vnder the Pole the space almoste of two moneths during the time of the Sommer Solstitium and that without intermingling of any colde night ◠so that if the heate of the Sunne at noone coulde be well measured in London which is verye harde to doe bycause of the long nights whiche engender greate moysture and colde then woulde manifestlye appeare by expresse numbers the maner of the heate vnder the Poles which certainly must néedes be to the inhabitaunts verye commodious and profitable if it inclyne not to ouer much heate and if moysture do not want For as in October in England we find temperate aire and haue in our Gardens hearbes and floures notwithstāding our colde nights how much more shoulde they haue the same good ayre being continual without night This heate of ours continueth but one houre while the Sunne is in the Meridiā but theirs continueth a long time in one height This our heate is weake and by the coolenesse of the night vanisheth that heate is strong and by continual accesse is still increased and strengthned And thus by a similitude of the equal height of the Sunne in both places appeareth the commodious and moderate heate of the regions vnder the Poles And surely I can not thinke that the diuine prouidence hath made any thing vncōmunicable but to haue giuē such order to all things that one way or other the same shoulde be imploied and that euery thing and place should be tollerable to the next But especiallye all things in this lower world be giuen to man to haue dominion and vse thereof Therefore wée néede no longer to doubt of the temperate and commodious habitation vnder the Poles during the tyme of Sommer But al the controuersie consisteth in the Winter for then the Sun leaueth those regions and is no more séene for the space of other sixe moenths in the which time al the Sunnes course is vnder their Horizon for the space of half a yeare and then those regions saye some muste néedes be deformed with horrible darkenesse and continuall nyghte whiche maye be the cause that beastes can not séeke theyr foode and that also the cold should then be intollerable By which double euils al liuing creatures should be constrayned to die and were not able to indure the extremitie and iniury of Winter and famine ensuing therof but that all things shoulde perish before the Sommer folowing when they should bring forth their broode yong that for these causes the said Clime about the Pole shold be desolate not habitable To al which obiectiōs may be answered in this maner First that thoughe the Sun be absent from them those sixe moneths yet it followeth not there should be such extreame darkenesse for as the Sunne is departed vnder their Horizon so is it not farre from them And not so soone as the Sunne falleth so sodainly commeth the darke night but the euening doth substitute and prolong the daye a good while after by twilight After whiche time the residue of the night receiueth light of the Moone and Starres vntill the breake of the day which giueth also a certaine light before the Sunnes rising so that by these meanes the nightes are seldome darke which is veryfied in al parts of the world but least in the middle Zone vnder the Equinoctiall where the twylights are short the nights darker than in any other place bycause the Sun goeth vnder their Horizon so déepe euen to their Antipodes Wée sée in Englande in the Sōmer nights whē the Sun goeth not far vnder the Horizon that by the light of the Moone stars wée may trauel al night if occasion were do some other laboure also And there is no man that doubteth whether our cattel can sée to féede in the nights séeing wée are so well certified thereof by our experience by reason of the sphere our nights should be darker than any time vnder the Poles The Astronomers consent that the Sun descending frō our vpper Hemisphere at the .18 Parallel vnder the Horizon maketh an end of twylight so that at length the darke night ensueth and that afterward in the morning the Sun approching againe within as many Paralels doth driue away the night by accesse of the twylight Againe by the position of the sphere vnder the Pole the Horizon the Equinoctial are al one These reuolutions therfore that are Paralell to the Equinoctiall are also Paralel to the Horizon so that the Sun descēding vnder the Horizon there describing certain Paralels not farre distant doeth not bring darke nights to those Regions vntil it come to the Paralels distant .18 degrées frō the Equinoctial that is about the .21 degrée of Scorpio which wil be about the .4 day of our Nouēber after the Winter Solstitium the Sun retourning backe againe to the .9 degrée of Aquarius whiche wil be aboute the .19 of Ianuary during which time only that is frō the .4 of Nouēber vntill the .xix. day of Ianuary which is about six wéeks space those regions do want the cōmoditie of twylights Therefore during the time of these said six moneths of darknesse vnder the Poles the night is destitute of the benefite of the Sun the said twilights only for the space of six weeks or thereabout And yet neither this time of six wéeks is without remedy frō Heauē For the Moone with hir encreased light hathe accesse at that time illuminateth the moneths lacking light euery one of themselues seuerally halfe the course of the moneth by whose benefite it cōmeth to passe that the night named extreame dark possesseth those regions no longer than one moneth neither that continually or al at one time but this also diuided into two sorts of shorter nights of that which either of thē endureth for the space of .15 days are illuminate of the Moone accordingly And this reason is gathered out of the sphere whereby we may testifie that the Sōmers are warme fruitful the Winters nights vnder the pole are tollerable to liuing creatures And if it be so that the winter and time of darknes there be very cold yet hath not nature left thē vnprouided therefore For there the beasts are couered with haire so much the thicker in how much the vehemencie of cold is
for a more fresh example our people of Meta Incognita of whome and for whome thys discourse is taken in hande that were broughte this last yeare into Englande were all generallie of the same coloure that many Nations be lying in the middest of the middle Zone And this their couloure was not only in the face whiche was subiecte to Sunne and Ayre but also in their bodies which were still couered with garments as oures are yea the very sucking childe of twelue Moneths age hadde his skinne of the very same couloure that most haue vnder the Equinoctiall which thing can not procéede by reason of the clime for that they are at least tenne degrées more towards the North than we in Englande are no the Sunne neuer commeth néere their Zenith by .40 Degrées for in effect they are within thrée or four degrées of that which they call the frosen Zone and as I said fortie degrées from the burning Zone whereby it foloweth that there is some other cause than the Clymate or the Sunnes perpendicular reflection that shoulde cause the Ethiopians great blacknesse And the most probable cause to my iudgemente is that this blacknesse procéedeth of some naturall infection of the first inhabitāts of that Countrey and so all the whole progenie of them descended are still poluted with the same blot of infection Therefore it shall not be farre from our purpose to examine the first originall of these blacke men and how by lineall discente they haue hitherto continued thus blacke It manifestly and plainely appeareth by holy Scripture that after the generall Inundation and ouerflowing of the Earth there remayned no moe mē aliue but Noe his thrée sonnes Sem Cham and Iaphet who only were lefte to possesse inhabit the whole face of the earth therefore all the land that vntill this daye hath bin inhabited by sundry discents must néedes come of the ofspring eyther of Sem Cham or Iaphet as the onely sonnes of Noe who all thrée being white and their wiues also by course of nature should haue begotten and brought forth white children But the enuie of our great and continuall enimie the wicked Spirit is such that as he could not suffer our old Father Adam to liue in the felicitie Angelike state wherein he was first created but tempting him sought procured his ruine fal So againe finding at this floud none but a father and thrée sonnes liuing he so caused one of them to transgresse disobey his fathers commandement that after him all his posteritie shoulde be accursed The fact of disobedience was this When Noe at the commandement of God had made entred the Arke the fludgates of Heauen were opened so that the whole face of the earth euery trée Mountaine was couered with abundāce of water he straitely commanded his sonnes their wiues that they should with reuerence feare behold the iustice and mighty power of God that during the time of the floud while they remained in the Arke they should vse cōtinēcie absteine frō carnall copulation with their wiues many other preceptes he gaue vnto thē admonitions touching the iustice of God in reuenging sinne his mercie in deliuering thē who nothing deserued it Which good instructions exhortatiōs notwithstāding his wicked sonne C ham disobeyed and being persuaded that the first child borne after the floud by right law of nature should inherit possesse all the dominion of the earth he contrarie to his fathers commandement while they were yet in the Arke vsed cōpany with his wife craftily went about thereby to disinherit the ofspring of his other two bréethren for the which wicked and detestable fact as an example for contempte of Almightie God and disobedience of parents God would a sonne shuld be borne whose name was Chus who not only it selfe but all his posteritie after him should be so blacke lothsome that it might remaine a spectacle of disobedience to all the World. And of this blacke cursed Chus came al these blacke Moores which are in Africa for after the water was vanished frō off the face of the earth and that the land was drie Sem chose that part of the land to inhabit in which now is called Asia and Iaphet had that which nowe is called Europa wherin we dwel and Africa remained for Cham his blacke sonne Chus was called Chamesis after the fathers name being perhaps a cursed dry sandy vnfruteful groūd fit for such a generatiō to inhabit in Thus you sée that the cause of the Ethiopians blacknesse is the curse infection of bloud not the distemperature of the clymate which also may be proued by this example that these black men are found in all partes of Africa as well withoute the Tropicks as within euen vnto Capo d'buona Speranza Southward where by reason of the Sphere should be the same temperature as is in Spayne Laddigna and Sicilia where all be of very good complexions Wherefore I conclude that the blacknesse procéedeth not of the hotenesse of the Clime but as I sayd of the infection of bloud and therfore this their argumente gathered of the Africans blacknesse is not able to destroy the temperature of the middle Zone We may therefore very well be assertayned that vnder the Equinoctiall is the most pleasant and delectable place of the worlde to dwell in where although the Sunne for two houres in a yeare be directe ouer their heads and therefore the heate at that time somewhat of force yet bycause it commeth so seldome and continueth so small a time when it commeth it is not to be wayed but rather the moderate heate of other times is all the yeare to be remembred And if the heate at any time should in the shorte daye ware somewhat vrgent the coldnesse of the long night there would easilie refreshe it according as Honterus sayth speaking of the temperature vnder the Equinoctiall Quodque die solis violento incanduit aestu Humida nox reficit paribusque refrigerat horis If the heate of the Sunne in the day time doe burne or parch any thing the moysture of the nighte dothe coole and refresh the same againe the Sunne being as long absente in the night as it was present in the day Also our Author of the Sphere Iohannes d' Sacro bosco in the Chapter of the Zodiacke deriueth the Etimologie of Zodiacus of the Gréeke word Zoe whiche in Latin signifyeth Vita life for out of Aristotle he alledgeth that Secundum accessum recessum solis in Zodiaco fiunt generationes corruptiones in rebus inferioribus according to the Sunnes going to and fro in the Zodiake the inferiour bodies take their causes of generation and corruption Then it foloweth that where there is most going too and fro there is most generation and corruption whiche must néedes be betwéene the two Tropikes for there the Sunne goeth too and
vse after one yéere or two the ayre woulde séeme to hym more temperate It was compted a greate matter in the olde time that there was a brasse pot broken in sunder with frosen water in Ponthus which after was broughte and shewed in Delphis in token of a miraculous cold region and Winter and therefore consecrated to the Temple of Apollo This effecte being wroughte in the Paralell of .48 degrées in latitude it was presentlye compted a place verye hardly and vneasily to be inhabited for the greate cold And howe then can suche men define vppon other Regions very farre without that Paralell where they were inhabited or not séeing that in so neare a place they so grossely mistooke the matter and others their followers being conteÌ„ted with the inuentions of the olde Authors haue persisted willingly in the same opinion with more confidence thaÌ„ consideration of the cause so lightly was that opinion receiued as touching the vnhabitable Clime neare vnder the Poles Therfore I am at this present to proue that al the land lying betwéene the laste climate euen vnto the point directly vnder either Poles is or maye be inhabited especially of suche creatures as are ingendred and bredde therein For indéed it is to be confessed that some particular liuing creature cannot liue in euery particular place or region especially wyth the same ioy and felicitie as it did where it was firste bredde for the certaine agréement of nature that is betwéene the place and the thing bredde in that place as appeareth by the Elephant which being translated and brought out of the second or third climate though they may liue yet will they neuer ingender or bring forth yong Also wée sée the like in many kinds of plants and hearbs for example the OraÌ„ge trée although in Naples they bring forth fruit abundantly in Rome and Florence they wil beare only faire gréene leaues but not any fruite and translated into England they will hardly beare either flowers fruite or leaues but are the next winter pinched and withered with colde yet it followeth not for this that England Rome and Florence should not be habitable In the prouing of these colde regions habitable I shall be verye shorte bicause the same reasons serue for this purpose which were alleaged before in the prouing the middle Zone to be temperate especially séeing al heate cold procéede from the Sunne by the meanes eyther of the Angle his beames doeth make with the Horizon or else by the long or shorte continuance of the Suns presence aboue ground so that if the Sunnes beames do beate perpendicularlye at righte Angles then there is one cause of heate and if the Sunne doe also long continue aboue the Horizon then the heate thereby is muche encreased by accesse of this other cause and so groweth to a kind of extremitie And these .ij. causes as I said before doe moste concurre vnder the two Tropickes and therefore there is the greatest heate of the worlde And likewise where both these causes are most absent there is greatest want of heate and encrease of colde séeing that colde is nothing but the priuation and absence of heat and if one cause be wanting and the other present the effect will growe indifferent Therefore this is to bée vnderstanded that the nearer anye region is to the Equinoctiall the higher the Sunne doeth rise ouer their heads at noone so maketh either righte or neare righte angles but the Sun tarryeth with them so much the shorter time causeth shorter dayes with longer and colder nights to restore the domage of the daye paste by reasoÌ„ of the moisture consumed by vapour But in such regions ouer the which the Sun riseth lower as in regions extended towardes eyther pole it maketh there vnequall Angles but the Sunne continueth longer and maketh longer dayes causeth so much shorter and warmer nights as retayning warme vapoures of the daye paste For there are found by experience Sommer nights in Scotland and Gothland very hot when vnder the Equinoctiall they are found very colde This benefite of the Sunnes long continuaunce and encrease of the day doth augment so muche the more in colde regions as they are nearer the poles and ceaseth not encreasing vntil it come directly vnder the point of the Pole Articke where the Sunne continueth aboue grounde the space of sixe moneths or halfe a yeare togither so the daye is halfe a yere long that is the time of the Suns being in the North signes from the first degrée of Aries vntil the last of Virgo that is all the time from our .10 day of March vntill the .14 of September The Sun therfore during the time of these .6 moneths without any offence or hindraunce of the nighte gyueth his influence vpon those landes with heate that neuer ceaseth during that time which maketh to the great increase of Sommer by reason of the Sunnes continuaunce Therfore it followeth that though the Sunne be not there very high ouer their heads to cause right angle beams to giue great heate yet the Sun being there sometimes almâ—â—t 24. degrées high doth caste a conuenient and meane heate which there continueth without hinderaunce of the nighte the space of six moneths as is before saide during whiche time there foloweth to be a conuenient moderate and temperate heat or else rather it is to be suspected the heat there to be very great both for continuance also Quia virtus vnita crescit the vertue and strength of heat vnited in one encreaseth If then there be suche a moderate heat vnder the Poles and the same to continue so long time what shoulde moue the olde writers to say there cannot be place for habitation And that the certaintie of this temperate heat vnder both the Poles might more manifestlye appeare lette vs consider the position qualitie of the Sphere the length of the day and so to gather the heighte of the Sunne at all times and by consequent the quantitie of his Angle and so lastely the strength of his heate Those landes and regions lying vnder the pole and hauing the Pole for their Zenith muste néedes haue the Equinoctiall circle for their Horizon therefore the Sunne entring into the North signes and describing euery .24 houres a Paralell to the Equinoctiall by the diurnall motion of Primum Mobile the same Paralels must néedes be wholy aboue the Horizon and so looke howe many degrées there are froÌ„ the fyrst of Aries to the last of Virgo so many whole reuolutions there are aboue theyr Horizon that dwell vnder the Pole whiche amounteth to .182 and so manye of oure dayes the Sunne continueth with them During whiche tyme they haue there continuall daye and lighte withoute anye hinderaunce of moiste nightes Yet it is to be noted that the Sunne being in the fyrst degrée of Aries and laste degrée of Virgo maketh his reuolution in the very Horizon so that in these
person if by any speciall seruice hee hath merited the same to the ende that the well deseruing man receiuing the due commendation of his deserte maye bee encouraged to continue and take pleasure in well dooyng after and others being animated by like example maye for hope of lyke rewarde also desire to deserue well By this Discourse it may please your Honour to behold the greate industrie of oure present age and the inuincible mindes of oure Englishe nation who haue neuer lefte anye worthy thing vnattempted nor anye parte almoste of the whole worlde vnsearched whome lately neither stormes of Seas by long and tedious voyages daunger of darke fogs and hidden rockes in vnknowne coastes congealed and frosen Seas with mountaines of fleeting Ise nor yet presente death dayly before their face coulde anye whit dismaye or cause to desiste from intended enterpises but rather preferring an honourable death beefore a shamefull retourne haue notwithstanding the former daungers after manye perillous repulses recouered their desired Porte So that if nowe the passage to CATAYA thereby be made open vnto vs which only matter hitherto hath occupied the finest heades of the worlde and promiseth vs a more riches by a nearer way than either Spaine or Portugale possesseth whereof the hope by the good industrie and greate attemptes of these men is greatelye augmented or if the Golde Ore in these new Discoueries founde oute doe in goodnesse as in great plentie aunswere expectation and the successe do folow as good as the proofe thereof hitherto made is great wee may truely inferre that the Englishman in these our dayes in his discoueries to the Spaniarde and Portingale is nothing inferior and for his hard aduentures and valiant resolutions greatly superior For what hath the Spaniarde or Portingale done by the Southeast and Southweast that the Englishman by the Northeast and Northweaste hath not counteruailed the same And albeit I confesse that the Englishe haue not hytherto had so ful successe of profit and commoditie of pleasaunt place considering that the former nations haue happily chanced to trauel by more temperate clymates where they had not onlye good meates and drinkes but all other things necessarie for the vse of man all whiche things the English trauelling by more intēperate places as it were with mayne force making waye thorowe seas of Ise haue wāted which notwithstanding argueth a more resolution for Difficiliora pulchriora that is the aduēture the more hard the more honorable yet concerning the perfecter knowledge of the world and Geographicall description wherin the present age and posteritie also by a more vniuersal vnderstāding is much furthered as appeareth by my vniuersall Mappe with pricked boundes here annexed herein the Englishman deserueth chiefe honor aboue any other For neyther Spaniard nor Portugale nor anye other besides the English haue bin found by so great daungers of Ise so neare the Pole to aduenture any discouerie wherby the obscure and vnknowen partes of the world which otherwise had laine hid haue bin made knowen vnto vs. So that it may appeare that by oure Englishmens industries and these late voyages the world is grown to a more fulnesse and perfection many vnknowen lands and Ilands not so much as thought vpon before made knowen vnto vs Christs name spred the Gospell preached Infidels like to be conuerted to Christianitie in places where before the name of God hath not once bin hearde of Shipping and Seafaring mē haue ben employed nauigation and the Nauie which is the chief strength of our Realm maintayned and Gentlemen in the Sea seruice for the better seruice of their Country wel experienced Al whiche things are no doubt of so gret importāce as being wel wayed may seeme to counteruayle the aduentures charges although the passage to CATAYA were not found out neither yet the golde ore proue good wher of both the hope is good gret But notwithstanding all these euen in this if no otherwise hyr most excellent Maiestie hath reaped no small profit that she may now stand assured to haue many more tried able sufficient men against time of need that are which with out vaūt may be spoken of valour gret for any great aduēture of gouernemēt good for any good place of seruice For this may truly be spoken of these men that there hath not bin seene in any nation being so many in nūber so far frō home more ciuill order better gouernement or agreement For euen from the beginning of the seruice hitherto there hath neither passed mutinie quarrel or notorious fact either to the slaunder of the men or daunger of the voyage although the Gentlemen Souldiors and Marriners whiche seldome can agree were by companies matched togither But I may perchaunce right Honourable seeme to discourse somewhat too largely especially in a cause that as a partie somewhat concerneth my selfe which I doe not for that I doubt of your Honorable opinion already conceiued of the men but for that I knowe the ignorant multitude is rather ready to slaunder than to giue good encouragement by due commendation to good causes who respecting nothing but a present gaine and being more than needefully suspitious of the matter do therwithall condemne the men and that without any further respect either of their honest intents either of their wel performing the matter they dyd vndertake whiche according to their direction was specicially to bring home Ore either else of their painful trauel whiche for their Prince and the publike profite of their Countries cause they haue sustained But by the way it is not vnknown to the world that this our natiue country of England in al ages hath bred vp and specially at this present aboūdeth with many forward and valiāt minds fit to take in hād any notable enterprise wher by appeareth that if the Englishman had bin in times paste as fortunate and foreseeing to accept occasion offered as he hath bin alwayes forwarde in executing anye cause once taken in hand he had bin worthily preferred before all nations of the worlde and the Weast Indies had now bin in the possession of the Englishe For Columbus the firste Discouerer of the Weaste Indies made firste offer thereof with his seruice to King Henry the seauenth then Kyng of Englande and was not accepted Wherevppon for want of entertainement here hee was forced to go into Spaine and offred there as before the same to Ferdinando Kyng of Castyle who presently acceptyng the occasion did first himselfe and now his successors enioy the benefite thereof Also Sebastian Cabota being an Englishman and borne in Bristowe after he had discouered sundrie parts of new found lande and attempted the passage to CATAYA by the Northweast for the King of England for lacke of entertainment here notwithstanding his good desert was forced to seeke to the Kyng of Spaine to whose vse hee discouered all that tract of Brasile aboute the famous riuer Rio de la Plata and for the same and other good seruices
yet for diuersitie of motion may be compted two that is Primum Mobile mouing onelye vppon the poles Articke and Antarticke and all the reste of Orbes and Planets mouing vppon the poales of the Zodiacke are by this difference of motion imagined two wherby ariseth the number of sixe substanciall partes of the world that is the foure Elements and the two varietiâ—s of Orbes So likewise the inferiour world I meane the Superficies of the Earth is also diuided into sixe partes that is Europa Affrica Asia Terra Septentrionalis America Terra Austrialis whose bounders bycause this diuision séemeth somewhat strange I thought good for the more particularitie here briefly to repeate The chiefe bounders of the principall parts of the vvorld EVropa is bounded on the Weast side with oure Weaste Ocean on the South side wyth Mare Mediterâ—aneum on the East with Mare Aegeum Pontus Euxinus and the riuer Tanais folowing the Meridian thereof Northwarde On the North side it was thoughte sometime to be bounded with Ilandes Hebrides Orcades and Hyperboreâ— montes in Sarmatia of Europe But nowe by the nauigation of the Englishemen the boundes are extended vnto that Sea whiche compasseth Norway Laplande and Moscouia Affrica is bounded Westwarde with the Sea Atlanticum Southward with the South Ocean passing by Cape d'buona Speranza Eastwarde with the red Sea and Northwarde by the Sea Mediterraneum Asia is bounded on the South side with the South Ocean on the Easte side with Mare Eoum and the straighte Anian on the North side with the Scithian Sea on the Weaste side with the Meridian of the riuer Tanaâ—â— paâ—te of the Sea Mediterraeneum as Pontus Euxinus Mare Egeum Sinus Issicus and the red Sea. Terra Septentrionalis is diuided from Asia by the Scythian Sea from Europe by the North Sea aboute Iseland called in times past Mare Congelaâ—um the frosen Sea and froÌ„ America is deuided by Frobishers straits It lyeth rounde about the Pole Artike is included by a Paralell passing aboute .70 degrées in North latitude as it is also more at large described in Mercators and Ortelius vniuersall Mappes This parte of the world hath béene most or onely made knowen by the Englishmens industrie For as Mercator mentioneth out of a probable Author there was a Frier of Oxforde a greate Mathmatician who himselfe went verâ—â— farre North aboue .200 yeares agoe and with an Astrolabe described almoste all the lande aboute the Pole fâ—â—ding it diuided into foure partes or Ilandes by foure gâ—eate gutters indrafts or channels running violently aâ—d deliuering themselues into a mostrous receptacle and swallowing sincke with suche a violent force and currant that a Shippe beyng entred neuer so little within one of tâ—ese foure indraftes câ—nnot be holden backe by the force of any great winde but runneth in headlong by that déepe swâ—llâ—wing sincke into the bowels of the earth Hée reportâ—th that thâ— Southweast parte of that lande is a fruitfull and a holesome soyle The Northeast part in respect of England is inhabited with a people called Pygmaei whyche are not at the vttermoste aboue foure foote highe One of these foure greate monstrous gulfes wyâ—h hys violent raging course followeth the Meridiâ—n of the fortunate Ilandes aâ—d receiueth the Ocean with thâ—ée mouths and is frosen oâ—er thrée moneths in the yeare and is .37 leagues in bâ—â—adth the neâ—te Eastwarde beyonde the Ilande Vagâ—ts is 〈…〉 degrees in longitude and receyueth the East Ocean wâ—th â—â—ue months and being narrowe and swifte is neuer frosen The third is at 19â— degrées in longitude â—â—ceiuâ—th the East OceaÌ„ with ninetéen receits The fourth is at â—â—â— degrées in longitude Al these indraftes raging channels runne directly towards a point vnder the Pole where is also said to be a monstrous gret Mountain of woÌ„derful gret height about .35 leagues in coÌ„passe at the foot Guiâ—â—elmus Postellus saith that here vnder and aboute the Pole is beste habitation for man and that they euer haue continuall daye and know not what night or darkenesse meaneth But this séemeth contrary to the principles of the Sphere whyche alloweth well that they shoulde sée the Sunne halfe a yeare togither without any night During the time of his being in the North signes from the one Equinoctium tâ— the other yet that in the other halfe they shold haue continuall night without any day But I thinke Postellus being a good Astronomer doubted nothâ—ng of y reason of the sphere but meaneth that for their great twilighâ—s the high swelling of the erth the high mouÌ„taine vnder the Pole they haue continuall light but hereof you shal heare more â—t large hereafter in this treatise wheÌ„ I speake of the â—epâ—rature of the North Regions This so particular a description of the land countries lying about the Pole argueth that this Oxford Frier tooke great pains therâ—in and â—ndurâ—th greâ—t probabilitie likelihood of the tâ—uth therof bicauâ—â— he obâ—â—â—ued so diligently by measure the bredth of the inâ—rafâ—â— wâ—â—t time and how long they coâ—tâ—nued frosen with how â—anâ—e mouths or receipts euery one of them receiued the Ocean UpoÌ„ the bounds descriptioÌ„ of this part of the erth I haue the loÌ„ger staid bicause I find it discouered only by the English nation And although the greatest part herof was maâ—e knowen .200 odde yeres past yet some bounders thereof were described set out by the trauel of S. Hugh Wiâ—â—oby â—night an Englishman who ventured lost his life in the cause so died an honorable death with him Ric. Chancelor chiefe Pilot in that voyage in An. 1554. who discouered founde out the Norway Lapland c. conioyned not to Groneland or any part of the Northern regions as one firme continent but that by sea a man might trauel to the country of Mâ—scâ—uâ—a a gret way more Estward as far as the gret riuer Obby â—lso oure worthy General Ca. Frobisher in his .3 last voiages wâ—er of we are briefly to entreat in these .3 books hath discouered described a gret part of the Southwest bouÌ„ds therof meneth God willing not only to describe the one halfe therof in going to Cataia by the Northwest but also to put in triaâ—â— whether he may return into EnglaÌ„d by the Northeast so also to discrybe the other paâ—t which to do is one of the waightiest matters of the world a thing that wil cause other Princes to admire the fortunate state the gret valor of the English natioÌ„ But to retourne againe to the bounding of the other parts of the worlde America an Ilande is included on the East side with the Sea Antartique On the Weast side with Mare del Sur or Mare Pâ—cificum On the South side it is bounded wyth the straight of Mâ—gellanus and on the North with Frobishers straights Terra Aâ—straliâ— séemeth to be a great firme land lying vnder and aboute the South pole being in many
fro most and no where else but there Therefore betwéene the two Tropikes that is in the midle Zone is greatest increase multiplication generation and corruption of things which also we find by experience for there is Sommer twice in the yeare and twice Winter so that they haue two Haruests in the yeare and continuall spring Seing then the middle Zone falleth out so temperate it resteth to declare where the hotest part of the World should be for we fynde some places more hote than others To answere this doubt reason persuadeth the hotest place in the Worlde to be vnder and about the two Tropickes for there more than in anye other place doe both the causes of heate concurre that is the perpendicular falling of the Sunne beames at righte Angles and a greater continuance of the Sunne aboue the Horison the Pole there being eleuated thrée or foure and twentie degrées And as before I concluded that though the Sunne were perpendicular to them vnder the Equinoctiall yet bycause the same continued but a small tyme theyr dayes being short and theyr nightes long and theyr spéedie departure of the Sunne from their Zenith bycause of the suddayne crossing of the Zodiake with the Equinoctiall and that by such continuall course and recourse of hote and cold the temperature grew moderate So now to theÌ„ vnder the two Tropikes the Sun hauing once by his proper permotioÌ„ declined .20 degrées from the Equinoctial beginneth to draw néere theyr Zenith which may bée as before aboute the eleuenth day of May and then beginneth to send his beames almost at right Angles about which tyme the Sunne entreth into the first degrée of Gemini and with this almost right Angle the Sunne beames will continue vntill it be past Cancer that is the space of two Monethes euery day at noone almost perpendicular ouer their heads being then the time of Soâ—stitium Aestiuale whiche so long continuance of the Sun aboute their Zenith maye cause an extreame heate if anye be in the world but of necessitie farre more heate than can bée vnder the Equinoctiall where the Sunne hathe no suche long abode in the Zenith but passeth away therehence very quickly Also vnder the Tropikes the day is longer by an houre and a halfe than it is vnder the Equinoctiall wherefore the heate of the Sunne hauing a longer tyme of operation must néedes be encreased especially séeing the nighte wherein colde and moysture doe abounde vnder the Tropikes is lesse than it is vnder the Equinoctiall Therefore I gather that vnder the Tropikes is the hotest place not onely of Torrida Zona but of any other parte of the Worlde especially bycause there both causes of heate doe concurre that is the perpendicular falling of the Sunne beames two Monethes togyther and the longer abode of the Sunnes presence aboue the Horison And by this meanes more at large is proued that Marochus in Sommer is farre more hote than at any tyme vnder the Equinoctiall bycause it is scituate so néere the Tropike Cancer and also for the length of their dayes Neyther yet doe I thynke that the Regions scituate vnder the Tropikes are not habitable for they are founde to be verye frutefull also although Marochus and some other partes of Africa néere the Tropike for the drynesse of the natiue sandie soyle and some accidentes maye séeme to some to be intemperate for ouermuch heate For Ferdinandus Ouiedus speaking of Cuba and Hispaniola Ilands of America lying hard vnder or by the Tropike Cancer sayeth that these Ilandes haue as good pasture for Cattell as anye other Countrey in the world Also they haue most holesome and cléere water and temperate ayre by reason whereof the heards of Beasâ—es are muche bigger fatter and of better tast then any in Spayne bycause of the rancke pasture whose moysture is better digested in the hearbe or grasse by continuall and temperate heate of the Sunne whereby being made more fatte and vnctious it is of better and more stedfast nourishment For continuall and temperate heate dothe not only draw much moysture out of the earth to the nourishmente of suche things as growe and are engendred in that Clime but dothe also by moderation preserue the same from putrifying digesting also and condensating or thickning the sayd moyst nourishmente into a gummie and vnctious substance whereby appeareth also that vnder the Tropikes is both holesome frutefull and pleasant habitation whereby lastly it followeth that al the middle Zone whiche vntyll of late dayes hathe bin compted and called the burning broyling and parched Zone is now found to bée the most delicate temperate commodious pleasaunte and delectable part of the World and especially vnder the Equinoctiall Hauyng nowe sufficiently at large declared the temperature of the middle Zone it remayneth to speake somewhat also of the moderate and continuall heate in colde Regions as well in the nighte as in the day all the Sommer long and also how these Regions are habitable to the inhabitantes of the same contrarie to the opinion of the olde writers Of the temperature of colde Regions all the Sommer long and also hovve in Winter the same is habitable especially to the inhabitants thereof THe colde Regions of the Worlde are those whiche tending towarde the Pole Artike and Antartike are without the circuit or bounds of the seauen Climates which agréeable to the opinion of the old Writers is founde and sette out in oure Authour of the Sphere Iohannes de Sacrobosco where hée playnely sayeth that without the seauenth Climate which is bounded by a Paralell passing at fiftie degrées in Latitude all the habitation beyonde that to be discommodious and intollerable but Gemma Phrisius a late writer finding England and Scotland to be withoute the compasse of those climates wherein he knew to be very temperate and good habitation added therevnto two other Climates the vttermost Paralell whereof passeth by .56 degrées in Latitude and therein comprehendeth ouer and aboue the first computation England Scotland Denmarke Moscouia c. which all are rich and mightie Kingdomes The old writers perswaded by bare coniecture wente aboute to determine of those places by comparing them to their owne complexions bycause they felt them to be hardlie tolerable to themselues and so toke thereby an argument of the whole habitable earth as if a Man borne in Morochus or other part of Barbarie should at the later end of Sommer vpon the suddayne eyther naked or with hys thinne vesture be broughte into England he woulde iudge this Region presently not to be habitable bycause he being broughte vp in so warme a Countrey is not able héere to liue for so sodaine an alteration of the colde ayre but if the same man hadde come at the beginning of Sommer and so afterwarde by little and little by certaine degrées had felt acquainted himselfe with the Frost of Autumne it would haue séemed by degrées to harden him and so to make it far more tollerable and by
he lost onely foure men Also the other Barke named the Michaell mistrusting the matter conueyed themselues priuilie away from him and returned home wyth greate reporte that he was cast awaye The worthie Captayne notwithstanding these discomfoâ—tes although hys Mast was sprong and hys toppe Mast blowen ouerboorde wyth extreame foule weather continued hys course towardes the Northweast knowing that the Sea at length must néedes haue an endyng and that some lande shoulde haue a beginning that way and determined therefore at the least to bryng true proofe what lande and Sea the same myghte bée so farre to the Northweastwardes beyonde anye man that hathe héeretofore discouered And the twentith of Iuly hée hadde sighte of a highe lande whyche hée called Queene Elizabethes Forlande after hyr Maiesties name And sayling more Northerlie alongst that coast he descried another forlande with a greate gutte bay or passage deuiding as it were two mayne lands or continents asunder There he met with store of excéeding great yse al this coast aloÌ„g coueting still to continue his course to the Northwardes was alwayes by contrarie winde deteyned ouerthwarte these straytes and could not get beyond Within few days after he perceyued the Ise to be well consumed and gone eyther there engulfed in by some swifte currants or indraftes caried more to the Southwardes of the same straytes or else conueyed some other way wherefore he determined to make profe of this place to sée how farre that gutte had continuance and whether he mighte carrie himselfe thorough the same into some open Sea on the backe syde whereof hée conceâ—ued no small hope and so entred the same the one and twentith of Iuly and passed aboue fyftie leagues therein as hée reported hauing vpon eyther hande a greate mayne or continent And that land vppon hys right hande as hée sayled Westward he iudged to bee the continente of Asia and there to bée deuided from the firme of America whiche lyeth vppon the lefte hande ouer-against the same This place he named after his name Frobishers Streytes lyke as Magellanus at the Southweast ende of the worlde hauyng discouered the passage to the South Sea where America is deuided from the continente of that lande whiche lyeth vnder the South Pole and called the same straites Magellanes streightes After he hadde passed 6â— leagues into this foresayde strayte hée wente ashore and founde signe where fire had bin made He saw mightie Déere that séemed to be Mankind which ranne at him and hardly he escaped with his life in a narrow way where he was fayne to vse defence and policie to saue his life In this place he saw and perceyued sundry tokens of the peoples resorting thither And being ashore vpon the toppe of a hill he perceiued a number of small things fléeting in the Sea a farre off whyche hée supposed to be Porposes or Ceales or some kinde of strange fishe but comming nearer he discouered them to be men in small boates made of leather And before he could discende downe from the hyll certain of those people had almost cut off his boate froÌ„ him hauing stollen secretely behinde the rocks for that purpose where he sâ—éedily hasted to his boate and bent himselfe to his Holbert and narrowly escaped the daunger and saued his bote Afâ—erwards he had sundry conferences with theÌ„ and they came aborde his ship and brought him Salmon and raw fleshe and fishe and gréedily deuoured the same before our mens faces And to shewe their agilitie they tryâ—d many maisteries vpon the ropes of the ship after our Mariners fashion and appeared to be verie strong of theâ—r armes and nimble of their bodies They exchaunged coates of Ceale and Beares skinnes and suche like with oure men and receiued belles loking glasses aâ—d other toyes in recompence thereof againe After great curtesie and manye méetings our Mariners contrarie to their Captaines dyâ—rection began more easily to trust them and fiue of our meÌ„ going a shoare were by them intercepted with their boate and were neuer since hearde of to this day againe So that the Captaine being destitute of boate barke and al company had scarcely sufficient number to conduct back his bark againe He coulde nowe neither conuey himselfe a shore to rescue his men if he had bin able for want of a boate and again the subtile traytours were so warie as they would after that neuer come within our mens danger The Captaine notwithstanding desirous to bring some token from thence of his being there was greatly discontented that he had not before apprehended some of them And therefore to deceiue the deceiuers he wrought a prettie pollicie for knowing well how they greatly delighted in our toyes and specially in belles he rang a pretie Lowbel making wise that he would giue him the same that would come and fetch it And bycause they would not come within his daunger for feare he flung one bell vnto theÌ„ which of purpose he threw short that it might fal into the sea and be lost And to make them more gréedie of the matter he rang a lowder bell so that in the ende one of them came neare the ship side to receiue the bell which when he thought to take at the Captaines hand he was therby taken himself For the Captain being redily prouided let the bel fal cought the man fast plucked him with maine force boate and al into his bark out of the Sea Whervpon when he founde himself in captiuitie for very choller disdain he bit his tong in twayne within his mouth notwithstanding he died not therof but liued vntill he came in Englande and then he died of colde which he had taken at Sea. Nowe with this newe pray whiche was a sufficiente witnâ—sse of the Captaines farre and tedious trauell towardes the vnknowne partes of the worlde as did well appeare by this strange Infidel whose like was neuer séen red nor harde of before and whose language was neyther knowne nor vnderstoode of anye the saide Captaine Frobisher returned homeward and arriued in England in August folowing An. 1â—76 where he was highly commended of all men for his great and notable attempt but specially famous for the great hope he brought of the passage to Cataya which he doubted nothing at alto find and passe thorow in those parts as he reported And it is especially to be remembred at the first arriuâ—ll in those partes there laye so great store of Ise all the coaste along so thicke togither that hardely his boate coulde passe vnto the shoare At lengthe after diuerâ—â— attemptes he commaunded his company if by anye possible meanes they could get ashoare to bring him whatsoeuer thing they could first find whether it were liuing or dead stocke or stone in token of Christian possession which thereby he toke in behalfe of the Quéenes moste excellente maiestie thinking that therby he might iustify the hauing and enioying of the same things
in durance at Edenburgh by the Regents commaundement of Scotlande After we had prouided vs héere of matter sufficiente for our voyage the eyght of Iune we sette sayle agayne and passing through Saint Magnus sounde hauing a merrie winde by night came cléere and lost sight of all the lande and kéeping oure course West Northwest by the space of two dayes the winde shifted vpon vs so that we lay in trauerse on the Seas with contrarie making good as néere as we could our course to the Westward and sometime to the Northward as the winde shifted And héereabout we met with thrée Sayle of English fishermen from Iseland bouÌ„d homewarde by whome we wrote our letters vnto oure friends in England We trauersed these Seas by the space of .26 dayes without sight of any land and met with much drift wodde and whole bodyes of trées We saw many monsterous Fishe and strange Fowle whyche sémed to liue only by the Sea being there so farre distant from anye land At length God fauoured vs with more prosperous windes and after we hadde sayled foure dayes with good wind in the Pâ—upe the fourth of Iuly the Michaell being formost a head shotte off a péece of Ordinance and stroke all hir sayles supposing that they descryed land whyche by reason of the thicke mistes they could not make perfit howbeit as wel our accompt as also the greate alteration of the water whiche became more blacke and smooth dyd playnely declare we were not farre off the coast Our Generall sent his Maister aboorde the Michaell who had bin within the yeare before to beare in with the place to make proofe thereof who desâ—ryed not the land perfecte but sawe sundrie huge Ilands of Ise which we déemed to be not past twelue leagues froÌ„ the shore for about tenne of the clocke at night being the fourth of Iuly the weather being more cléere we made the land perfect and knew it to be Fréeseland And the heigth being taken héere we founde oure selues to be in the Latitude of .60 Degrées and a halfe and were fallen with the Southermost parte of this land Betwéene Orkney and Freeseland are reckned leagues This Freeseland sheweth a ragged and high lande hauing the Mountaynes almost couered ouer with Snow alongst the coast full of drift Ise and séemeth almost inaccessible is thought to be an Iland in bignesse not inferior to England and is called of some Authours Weast Freeseland I thinke bycause it lyeth more Weast then anye part of Europe It extendeth in Latitude to the Northward verie farre as séemed to vs and appeareth by a description set out by two bréethren Venetians Nicholaus and Antonius Genoa who being driuen off from Ireland with a violent tempest made Shipwracke héere and were the first knowen Christians that discouered this lande aboute thrée hundred yeares sithence and they haue in their Sea-Cardes set out euerie part thereof and described the condition of the inhabitants declaring them to be as ciuill and Religious people as we And for so much of this land as we haue sayled alongst comparing their Carde with the coast we find it very agréeable This coast séemeth to haue good fishing for we lying becalmd let fall a hooke without anye bayte and presently caught a great fish called a Hollibut which serued the whole companie for a dayes meate and is dangerous meate for surfetting And sounding about fyue leagues off froÌ„ the shore our leade brought vp in the tallow a kind of Corrall almost white and small stones as bright as Christall it is not to be doubted but that this laÌ„d may be found very rich and beneficiall if it were throughly discouered although we saw no creature there but little birds It is a maruellous thing to behold of what great bignesse and depth some Ilandes of I se be héere some .70 some .80 fadome vnder water besides that which is aboue séemyng Ilands more than halfe a mile in circuite All these Ise are in tast freshe and séeme to be bredde in the sounds thereaboutes or in some land néere the pole and with the wind tides are driuen alongst the coastes We fouÌ„d none of these Ilands of Ise salt in tast wherby appeareth they were not congealed of the Ocean Sea water which is always salt but of some standing or little mouing lakes or great fresh waters néere the shore caused eyther by melted snow froÌ„ tops of Mountaines or by continuall accesse of fresh riuers froÌ„ the laÌ„d and intermingling with the Sea water bearing yet the dominion by the force of extreame frost may cause some part of salt water to fréese so with it so séeme a little brackish but otherwise the maine sea fréeseth not therefore there is no Mare Glaciale or frosen Sea as the opinion hytherto hath bin Our General proued laÌ„ding here twice but by the suddaine fall of mistes wherevnto this coast is much subiect he was like to lose sight of his Ships being greatly endangered with the driuing Ise alongst the coast was forced aboord and faine to surceasse his preteÌ„ce till a better oportunitie might serue and hauing spent .4 days nights sailing alongst this laÌ„d finding the coast subiect to such bitter cold continuall mistes he determined to spend no more time therin but to beare out his course towards the streights called Frobishers straightes after the Generals name who being the firste that euer passed beyonde .58 degrées to the Northwards for any thing hath bin yet knoweÌ„ of certainty of New found laÌ„d otherwise called the continent or firme laÌ„d of America discouered the said streights this last yeare .1576 and hopeth that there wil be found a thorough passage into the sea which lieth on the back side of the said new found laÌ„d called Mare pacificum or Mare de Sur by the which we maye go vnto Cataya China the East India and all the dominioÌ„s of the Great Cane of Tartaria Betwéene Freeseland the straights we had one great storme wherin that Michael was somewhat in daÌ„ger hauing hir Stéerage broken hir top Mastes bloweÌ„ ouer bord being not past .50 leagues short of the straights by our accoÌ„pt we strooke sayle lay a hull fearing the coÌ„tinuance of the storme the wind being at the Northeast and hauing lost company of the Barkes in that flaw of wind we happily mette againe the .17 day of Iuly hauing the euening before séene diuers Ilandes of fléeting Ise which gaue an argument that we were not farre from land Our Generall in the morning froÌ„ the maine top the weather being reasonable cléere descried laÌ„d but to be better assured he sent the two Barkes two coÌ„trarie courses wherby they might discrie either the South or North forlande the Ayde lying off on at Sea with a small saile by an Iland of Ise whiche was the marke for vs to méete togither agayne And aboute noone the weather being more cléere
shal carrie the light and after his light be once put out no man to go a head of him but euery man to fitte his Sayles to follow as néere as they may without dangering one another 3 That no man shall by day or by night depart further from the Admirall than the distance of one English Mile and as néere as they may withoute daunger one of another 4 If it chance to growe thicke and the wind contrary eyther by daye or by night that the Admirall be forced to câ—st aboute before hir casting aboute she shal gyue warning by shootâ—ng off a péece and to him shall answere the Uâ—zeadmirall and the Rereadmirall with euery one of them a péece if it be by nighte or in a fogge and that the Uizeadmiral shâ—ll aunswere â—irste and the Rereadmirall last 5 That no man in the Fléete descrying any Sayle or Sayles giue vppon anye occasion anye chace before hée haue spoken with the Admirall 6 That euerye euening all the Fléete come vppe and speake with the Admirall at seauen of the Clocke or betwéene that and eyght and if weather will not serue them all to speake with the Admirall then some shall come to the Uizeadmirall and receyue your order of your course of Maister Hall chiefe Pylot of the Fléete as he shal direct you 7 If to any maÌ„ in the Fléete there happeÌ„ any mischaÌ„ce they shall presently shoote off two péeces by day and if it be by night two peeces and shew two lightes 8 If any man in the Fléete come vp in y night and hale his fellow knowing him not he shal giue him this watch-word Before the world was God. The other shall aunswer him if he be one of our Fléete After God came Christe his Sonne So that if anye be founde amongst vs not of oure owne company he that firste descryeth anye such Sayle or Sayles shall giue warning to the Admirall by himselfe or any other that he can speake to that Sailes better than he being néerest vnto him 9 That euery Ship in the Fléete in the time of fogges whiche continually happen with little windes and most parte calmes shall kéepe a reasonable noyse with Trumpet Drumme or otherwise to kéepe themselues cléere one of another 10 If it fall out thicke or misty that we lay it to Hull the Admirall shall giue warning by a péece and puâ—ting out thrée lightes one ouer another to the ende that euâ—ry man may take in his Sayles and at his setting of Sayles agayne do the like if it be not cléere 11 If any man discouer land by nighte that he giue the like warning that he dothe for mischances two lightes and two péeces if it be by day one péece and putte out hys slagge and strike all his Sayles he hath aboorde 12 If any Shyppe shall happen to lose company by force of weather then any suche Shippe or Shippes shall gette hir into the Latitude of .. and so kéepe that Latitude vntyll they gette Freeselande And after they be past the West partes of Freeselande they shall gette them into the Latitude of .. and .. and not to the Northwarde of and béeing once entred within the straytes all suche Shyppes shall euerye watche shoote off a good péece and looke out well for smoke and fire whych those that gette in first shall make euery night vntill all the Fléete bée come togither 13 That vppon the sighte of an Ensigne in the Mast of the Admirall and a péece shot of the whole Fléete shal repaire to the Admirall to vnderstande such conference as the Generall is to haue with them 14 If we chance to méete with any enimies that foure Shyppes shall attend vpon the Admirall viz. the Frances of Foy the Moone the Barke Dennis and the Gâ—brieâ—â— â— and foure vpon my Lieutenant generall in the Iudith viz. the Hopewell the Armenall the Beare and the Salomon and the other foure vpon the Uizadmirall the Anne Frances the Thomas of Ipswich the Emanuell and the Michaell 15 If there happen any disordered person in the fléete that he be taken and kept in safe custodie vntil he may conueniently be brought aboorde the Admirall and therâ— to receiue such punishment as his or their offences shal deserue By me Martine Frobysher Oure departure fâ—om England HAuing receiued these articles of direction we departed from Harwich the one and thirtith of May. And sayâ—ing alongest the South partes of England westward wée at length came by the coaste of Ireland at Cape Cleare the sixth of Iune and gaue chace there to a small barke which was supposed to be a Pyrat or Rouer on the Seas but it fell out in déede that they were poore menne of Bristowe who hadde mette with suche company of Frenchmen as hadde spoyled and slayne manye of them and left the rest so sore wounded that they were lyke to perishe in the Sea hauing neyther hande nor foote hole to helpe themselues withall nor victuals to susteyne theyr hungrie bodyes Oure Generall who well vnderstandeth the office of a Souldioure and an Englishman and knoweth well what the necessity of the sea meaneth pitying much the miserie of the poore men releiued them with Surgerie and salues to heale their hurtes and with meate and drinke to comfort their pining hartes Some of them hauing neither eate nor drunck more than oliues stinking water in many days before as they reported And after this good déed done hauing a large winde we kept our course vppon our saâ—de voyage withoute staying for the taking in of freshe water or any other prouision whereof many of the fléete were not throughly furnished and sayling towardes the Northwest partes from Ireland we mette with a greate currant from oute of the Southwest which carryed vs by our reckning one point to the Northestwardes of our said course whiche currant séemed to vs to continue it selfe towardes Norway and other the Northeast partes of the World whereby we may be induced to beléeue that this is the same whiche the Portugalles méete at Capo d'buona speranza where striking ouer from thence to the straytes of Magellanes and finding no passage there for the narrownesse of the sayde straytes runneth alongst into the greate Bay of Mexico where also hauing a let of lande it is forced to strike backe agayne towardes the Northeast as we not only héere but in another place also further to the Northwardes by good experience this yeare haue founde as shall be héereafter in his place more at large declared Nowe had wée sayled aboute fouretéene dayes without sight of any land or any other liuing thing except certayne Fowles as Wylmots Nodies Gulles c. whiche there séeme only to liue by Sea. The twentith of Iune at two of the clocke in the morning the Generall descryed land and found it to be Weast Freeseland now named Weast England Héere the Generall and other Gentlemen wente ashore being the fyrste knowen Christians that we haue true notice of that euer set