ylands by ought that I could perceiue therein but because I was alone in a small barke of thirtie tonnes and the yeere spent I entered not into the same for it was now the seuenth of September but coasting the shore towardes the South we saw an incredible number of birdes hauing diuers fishermen aborde our barke they all concluded that there was a great scull of fish wee beeing vnprouided of fishing furniture with a long spike nayle mayde a hoke and fastening the same to one of our sounding lynes before the bayte was changed wee tooke more then fortie great cods the fishe swimming so â—â—â—ndantly thicke about our barke as is increâ—â—â—â—e to be reported of which with a small portion of salte that we had wee preserued some thirtie couple or there aboutes and so returned for England And hauing reported to master Secretory the whole successe of this attempt hee commanded mee to presenâ— vnto the most honorable Lorde high thresurer of England some parte of that fish which when his Lordship saw and hearde at large the relation of this seconde attempt I receiued fauorable countenance from his honour aduising mee to prosecute the action of which his Lordship conceiued a very good opinion The next yeere although diuers of the aduenturers fel from the action as al the western merchantes and most of those in London yet some of the aduenturers both honorable and worshipfull continued their willing fauour and charge so that by this meanes the next yeere 2. shippes were appointed for the fishing and one pynace for the discouery Departing from Dartmouth through gods merciful fauour I ariued to the place of fishing and there according to my directioÌ„ I left the 2. shipps to follow that busines taking their faithful promise not to depart vntill my returne vnto them which shoulde bee in the fine of August and so in the barke I proceeded for the discouery but after my departure in sixteene dayes the shippes had finished their voyage and so presently departed for England without regard of their promise my selfe not distrusting any such hard measure proceeded in the discouerie and followed my course in the free and open sea betweene North and Nor west to the latitude of sixtie seuen degrees and there I might see America West from me and Desolation East then when I saw the land of both sides I began to distrust that it would prooue but a gulfe notwithstanding desirous to knowe the full certaintye I proceeded and in sixtie eight degrees the passage enlarged so that I could not see the westerne shore thus I continued to the latitude of seuentie fiue degrees in a great sea free from yse coasting the westerne shore of Desolation the people came continually rowing out vnto me in their Cauoas twenty forty and one hundred at a time and would giue me fishe dried Samon Samon peale cod Caplin Lumpe stone base and such like besides diuers kindes of birdes as Partrig Fesant Gulls sea birdes and other kindes of fleshe I still laboured by signes to knowe from them what they knew of any sea towards the North they still made signes of a great sea as we vnderstood them then I departed from that coast thinking to discouer the North parts of America and after I had sayled towardes the west neere fortie leages I fell vpon a great bancke of yse the wind being North and blewe much I was constrained to coast the same towardes the South not seeing any shore West from me neither was there any yse towards the North but a great sea free large very salt and blue and of an vnsearcheable depth So coasting towardes the South I came to the place wher I left the shippes to fishe but found them not Then being forsaken and left in this distresse referring my selfe to the mercifull prouidence of God shaped my course for England and vnhoped for of any God alone releuing me I ariued at Dartmouth by this last discouerie it seemed most manifest that the passage was free and without impediment towards the North but by reason of the spanish fleete and vnfortunate time of master Secretoryes death the voyage was omitted and neuer sithens attempted The cause why I vse this particular relation of all my procedinges for this discouery is to stay this obiection why hath not Dauis discouered this passage being thrise that wayes imploied how far I proceeded and in what fourme this discouery lyeth doth appeare vpon the Globe which master Sanderson to his verye great charge hath published whose labouring indeuour for the good of his countrie deserueth great fauour and commendations Made by master Emery Mullineux a man wel qualited of a good iudgement and verye expert in many excellent practises in my selfe being the onely meane with master Sanderson to imploy master Mulineux therein whereby he is nowe growne to a most exquisite perfection Anthony de Mendoza viceroy of Mexico sent certayne of his captaynes by land and also a nauy of shipps by sea to search out the Norwest passage who affirmed by his letters dated from Mexico in Anno 1541. vnto the Emperour beeing then in Flaunders that towardes the Norwest hee had founde the kingdome of Cette Citta Alls Ceuera seuen cities and howe beyond the sayd kingdome farther towardes the Norwest Francisâ—o Vasques of Coronado hauing passed great desarts came to the sea side where he found certayne shippes which sayled by that sea with merchandize and had in their banners vpon the prows of their shippes certayne fowles made of golde and siluer named Alcatrazzi and that the mariners signified vnto him by signes that they were thirtie dayes comming to that hauen whereby he vnderstoode that those could be of no other country but of Asia the next knowne continent towardes the West And farther the sayd Anthony affirmed that by men wel practised hee vnderstoode that 950. leages of that country was discouered vpon the same Sea now if the cost in that distance of leages should lye to the West it would then adioyne with the North partes of Asia and then it would be a far shorter voyage then thirtie dayes sayling but that it is nothing neere Asia by former authoritie is sufficiently expressed then if it should lie towardes the North it would extend it selfe almost vnto the pole a voiage ouer tedious to be perfourmed by land trauell Therefore of necessity this distance of 950. leages must lie betweene the North and East which by Anthony de Especio in his late trauells vpon the North of America is sufficiently discouered then this beeing so the distance is very small betweene the East parte of this discouered Sea and the passage wherein I haue so painefully laboured what doth then hinder vs of England vnto whom of all nations this discouery would be most beneficiall to be incredulus â—low of vnderstanding and necligent in the highest degree for the search of this passage which is most apparantly prooued and of wonderfull benefit to the vniuersall state of our countrey Why should
should attempt Nauigation in desperate clymates and through seas congeled that neuer dissolue where the stiffnes of the colde maketh the ayre palpably grosse without certainty that the landes are disioyned All which impediments if they were not yet in that part of the world Nauigation cannot be performed as ordenarily it is vsed for no ordenarie sea chart can describe those regions either in the partes Geographicall or Hydrographicall where the Meridians doe so spedily gather themselues togeather the parallells beeing a verye small proportion to a great circle where quicke and vncertayne variation of the Compasse may greatly hinder or vtterly ouerthrow the attempt So that for lacke of Curious lyned globes to the right vse of Nauigation with many other instruments either vnknowne or out of vse and yet of necessitie for that voyage it should with great difficultie be attayned All which the premises considered I refer the conclusion of these obiections and certainty of this passage to the generall opinion of my louing countrymen whose dangerous attemptes in those desperate vncertainties I wish to be altred and better imployed in matters of great probabilitie To proue a passage by the Norwest without any land impedimentes to hinder the same by aucthoritie of writters and experience of trauellers contrary to the former obiections HOmer an Ancient writer affirmeth that the world being deuided into Asia Africa and Europa is an Iland which is likewise so reported by Strabo in his first book of Cosmographie Pomponius Mela in his third booke Higinius Solinus with others Wherby it is manifest that America was then vndiscouered and to them vnknowne otherwise they would haue made relation of it as of the rest neither could they in reason haue reported Asia Africa and Europa to bee an Iland vnles they had knowne the same to be conioyned and in all his partes to be inuironed with the seas And further America being very neere of equall quantitie with all the rest could not be reported as a parte either of Africa Asia or Europa in the ordenarie lymites of discretion And therefore of necessitie it must be concluded that Asia Africa and Europa the first reueiled world being knowne to bee an Iland America must likewise be in the same nature because in no parte it conioyneth with the first By experience of Trauellers to proue this passage ANd that wee neede not to range after forrayne and ancient authorities whereat curious wittes may take many exceptions let vs consider the late discoueryes perfourmed within the space of two ages not yet passed whereby it shall so manifestly appeare that Asia Africa and Europa are knit togeather making one continent and are wholy inuironed with the seas as that no reasonnable creature shall haue occasion therof to doubt And first beginning at the north of Europe from the north cape in 71. degrees whereby our merchantes passe in their trade to S. Nicholas in Rouscia descending towardes the South the Nauigation is without impediment to the cape of Bona Esperanca ordenarilie traded and daily practised And therefore not to bee gaynesayd which two capes are distant more then 2000. leagues by the neerest tract in all which distances America is not founde to bee any thing neere the coastes either of Europe or Afric for from England the chefest of the partes of Europa to newfoundland being parte of America it is 600. leagues the neerest distance that any part therof beareth vnto Europa And from cape verde in Gynny being parte of Africa vnto cape Saint Augustine in brasill beeing parte of America it wanteth but little of 500. leagues the neerest distance betweene Africa and America Likewise from the sayd North cape to Noua zemla by the course of East and West neerest there is passable sayling and the North partes of Tartaria are well knowne to be handed with the scithian seas to the promontory Tabin so that truely it is apparant that America is farre remoued and by a great sea diuided from any parte of Africa or Europa And for the Southerne partes of the firste reueiled worlde it is most manifest that from the cape of Bona Esperanca towardes the east the costes of Safalla Mosombique melinda Arabia and Persia whose gulfes lye open to the mayne occian And all the coastes of East India to the capes of Callacut and Malacca are banded with a mightie sea vpon the South whose lymattes are yet vndiscouered And from the Cape of Malacca towardes the North so high as the Ile of Iapan and from thence the cost of China being part of Asia continueth still North to the promontory Tabin where the Scithian sea and this Indian sea haue recourse togeather no part of America being nere the same by many 100 leages to hinder this passage For from the Callafornia being parte of America to the yles of Phillippina bordering vpon the coastes of China being parte of Asia is 2100. leages and therefore America is farther seperated from Asia then from any the sea coastes either of Europe or Africa Wherby it is most manifest that Asia Africa and Europa are conioyned in an Iland And therefore of necessity followeth that America is coÌ„tained vnder one or many ylaÌ„ds for from the septentrionall lat of 75. deg vnto the straights of Magilan it is known to be nauigable hath our west occian to lymet the borders therof and through the straightes of Magillane no man doubteth but that there is Nauigable passage from which straightes vpon all the Westerne borders of America the costs of Chili Chuli Rocha Baldiuia Peru to the ystmos of Dariena and so the whole West shores of Noua Hispania are banded out by a long and mightie sea not hauing any shore neere vnto it by one thousand leagues towardes the West howe then may it be possible that Asia and America should make one contenent To proue the premisses by the attemptes of our owne Countrymen besides others BUt least it should bee obiected that the premises are conceites the acting aucthors not nominated I will vse some boldnes to recyte our owne countrymen by whose paynefull trauells these truthes are made manifest vnto vs. Hoping and intreting that it may not bee offensiue though in this sorte I make relation of their actions And firste to begin with the North partes of Europe it is not vnknowne to all our countrymen that from the famous citie of London Syr Huge Willobie knight gaue the first attempt for the North estren discoueries which were afterward most notably accomplished by master Borrowes a Pylot of excellent iudgemente and fortunate in his actions so farre as Golgoua vaygaâ—s and Noua Zemla with trade thereby procured to S. Nicholas in Rouscia Then succeded master Ginkinson who by his land trauell discouered the Scithian sea to lymit the North coastes of Tartaria so farre as the riueâ— ob Sâ— that by our Countrymen the North partes of Europe are at full made knowne vnto vs and prooued to ioyne with no other continent to hinder this passage The common
landes are by no small distance seperated And after that Syr Frauncis was entred into the South seas he coasted all the Westerne shores of America vntill he came into the Septentrionall latitude of forty eight degrees being on the backe syde of newfound land And from thence shaping his course towardes Asia found by his trauells that the Ills of Molucca are distant from America more then two hundreth leages howe then â—an Asia and Africa be conioyned and make one continent to hinâ—es the passage the men yet liuing that can reproue the same but this conceipt is the baâ—â—ard of ignorance borne through the fornication of the malitious multitude that onely desâ—râ— to hinâ—er when themselues can doe no good Now their onely resteth the North partes of America vpon which coast my selfe haue had 〈◊〉 expâ—rience of any in our age for 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 thâ—t wayes imployed for the discouery of this notable passage by the honerable care and some charge of Syr Frauncis Walsingham knight principal secretory to her maiestie with whom diuers noble men and worshipfull merchantes of London ioyned in purse and willingnes for the furtherance of that attempt but when his honour died the voyage was frindles and mens mindes alienated from aduenturing therein In my first voyage not experienced of the nature of those clymattes and hauing no direction either by Chart Globe or other certayne relation in what altitude that passage was to bee searched I shaped a Northerly course and so sought the same towards the South and in that my Northerly course I fell vpon the shore which in ancient time was called Groynland fiue hundred leagues distant from the durseys West Nor West Northerly the land being very high and full of mightie mountaines all couered with snow no viewe of wood grasse or earth to be seene and the shore two leages of into the sea so full of yse as that no shipping cold by any meanes come neere the same The lothsome vewe of the shore and Irksome noyse of the yse was such as that it bred strange conceipts amoÌ„g vs so that we supposed the place to be wast voyd of any sencible or vegitable creatures wherupoÌ„ I called the same desolation so coasting this shore towardes the South in the latitude of sixtie degrees I found it to trend towardes the west I still followed the leading thereof in the same height and after fiftie or sixtie leages it fayled and lay directly North which I still followed and in thirtie leages sayling vpon the West side of this coast by me named desolation we were past all the yse and found many greene and plesant Ills bordering vpon the shore but the mountains of the maine were still couered with great quantities of snowe I brought my shippe among those ylls and there mored to refreshe our selues in our wearie trauell in the latitude of sixtie foure degrees or there about The people of the Country hauing espyed our shipps came down vnto vs in their Canoes holding vp their right hand to the Sunne and crying Yliaout would stricke their brestes we doing the like the people came aborde our shippes men of good stature vnbearded small eyed and of tractable conditions by whom as signe would permit we vnderstoode that towardes the North and West there was a great sea and vsing the people with kindnesse in geuing them nayles and knifes which of all things they most desired we departed and finding the sea free from yse supposing our selues to be past all daunger we shaped our course West Nor West thinking thereby to passe for China but in the latitude of sixtie sixe degrees wee fell with an other shore and there founde an other passage of 20. leages broade directly West into the same which we supposed to bee our hoped strayght we intered into the same thirty or fortie leages finding it neither to wyden nor straighten then considering that the yeere was spent for this was in the fyue of August and not knowing the length of this straight and dangers thereof we tooke it our best course to retourne with notice of our good successe for this small time of search And so retourning in a sharpe fret of Westerly windes the 29. of September we ariued at Dartmouth And acquainting master Secretory with the rest of the honorable and worshipfull aduenturers of all our procedinges I was appointed againe the seconde yeere to search the bottome of this straight because by all likelihood it was the place and passage by vs laboured for In this second attempt the merchants of Exeter and other places of the West became aduenturers in the action so that being sufficiently furnished for sixe monthes and hauing direction to search this straightes vntill we found the same to fall into an other sea vpon the West side of this part of America we should agayne retourne for then it was not to be doubted but shiping with trade might safely bee conueied to China and the parts of Asia We departed from Dartmouth ariuing vnto the south part of y e cost of desolatioÌ„ costed y â— same vpon his west shore to the lat of 66. degres and there ancored among the ylls bordering vpon the same where wee refreshed our selues the people of this place came likewise vnto vs by whome I vnderstood through their signes that towardes the North the 〈◊〉 was large At this place the chiefe shipe whervpon I trusted called the Mermayd of Dartmouth found many occasions of disconteÌ„tment and being vnwilling to proceede she there forsâ—oke me Then considering howe I had giuen my fayth and most constant promise to my worshipfull good friend master William Sanderson who of all men was the greatest aduenturer in that action and tooke such care for the perfourmance thereof that hee hath to my knowledge at one time disbursed as much money as any fiue others whatsoeuer out of his owne purse when some of the company haue bin slacke in giuing in their aduenture And also knowing that I should lose the fauour of master Secretory if I should shrinke from his direction in one small barke of thirty toâ—â—es whereof Master Sanderson was owner alone without farther comfort or company I proceeded on my voyage and ariuing vnto this straights followed the same eightie leages vntill I came among many ylandes where the water did eb and flowe sixe fadome vpright and where there had beene great trade of people to make trayne But by such thinges as there we found wee knewe that they were not Xpians of Europe that vsed that trade in fine by seaching with our boate wee founde small hope to passe any farther that way and therfore retourning againe recouered the sea and so coasted the shore towardes the South and in so doing for it was to late to search towardes the North wee founde an other great inlett neere fortie leages broade where the water entred in with violent swiftnes this we likewise thought might be a passage for no doubt but the North partes of America are all
we be thus blinded seeing our enemies to posses the fruites of our blessednes and yet will not perceiue the same But I hope the eternall maiestie of God the sole disposer of all thinges will also make this to appeare in his good time Cornelius Nepos recyteth that when Quintus Metellus Caesar was proconsull for the Romanes in Fraunce the king of Sweuia gaue him certayne Indians which sayling out of India for merchandize were by tempest driuen vpon the coastes of Germany a matter very strange that Indians in the fury of stormes should ariue vpon that coast it resteth nowe carefully to consider by what winde they were so driuen if they had beene of any parte of Africa how could they escape the ylls of cape Verd or the ylles of Canaria the coastes of Spayne Fraunce Ireland or England to ariue as they did but it was neuer knowne that any the natyues of Afric or Ethiopia haue vsed shippings Therefore they could not bee of that parte of the worlde for in that distance sayling they would haue beene starued if no other shore had giuen them relefe And that they were not of America is verye manifest for vpon all the Est parte of that continent beeing now thereby discouered it hath not at any time beene perceiued that those people were euer accustomed to any order of shiping which appeareth by the ariuall of Colon vpon those coastes for they had his shipping in such wonderfull admiration that they supposed him and his companie to haue descended from heauen so rare strang a thing was shiping in their eyes Therefore those Indians could not bee of America safely to bee driuen vpon the chastes of Germany the distance and impedimentes well considered Then comming neither from Afric nor America they must of necessitie come from Asia by the Noreast or Norwest passages But it should seme that they came not by the Noreast to double the promontory Tabin to bee forced through the scithiaÌ„ sea and to haue good passage through the narrow straight of Noua Zemla neuer to recouer any shore is a matter of great imposibilitie Therefore it must needes be concluded that they came by the North partes of America through that discouered sea of 950. leages and that they were of those people which Francisco Vasques of Coronado discouered all which premises considered there remaineth no more doubting but that the landes are disioyned and that there is a Nauigable passage by the Norwest of God for vs alone ordained to our infinite happines and for the euer being glory of her maiestie for then her stately seate of London should be the storehouse of Europe the nurse of the world and the renowne of nations in yelding all forraine naturall benefits by an easie rate in short time returned vnto vs and in y e fulnes of their natural perfection by natural participatioÌ„ through the world of all naturall and artificiall benefites for want whereof at this present the most part liue distressed and by the excellent comoditie of her seate the mightines of her trade with force of shipping thereby arising and most aboundant accesse and intercourse from all the kingdomes of the worlde then should the ydle hand bee scorned and plenty by industry in all this land should be proclamed And therefore the passage procued and the benefites to all most apparant let vs no longer neglect our hapines but like christians with willing and voluntary spirits labour without fainting for this so excellent a benefit To prooue by experience that the sea fryseth not HAuing sufficiently prooued that there is a passage without any land impediments to hinder the same contrary to the first obiection it nowe resteth that the other supposed impedimentes hee likewise answered And firste as touching the frost and fresing of the seas it is supposed that the frozen Zone is not habitable and seas innauigable by reason of the vehemencie of cold by the diuine creator allotted to y e part of the world we are drawn into y e absurdity of this opinioÌ„ by a coniectural reason of the sunnes far distance and long absence vnder the Horyzon of the greatest parte of that Zone whereby the working power of colde perfourmeth the fulnesse of his nature not hauing any contrary disposition to hinder the same and when the Sunne by his presence should comfort that parte of the world his beames are so far remoued from perpendicularitie by reason of his continuall ueerenes to the Horizon 〈◊〉 that the effectes thereof answere not the violence of the winters cold And therefore those seas remayne for euer vndissolued Which if it be so that the nature of cold can congeale the seas it is very likely that his first working power beginneth vpon the vpper face of the waters and so descending worketh his effect which if it were howe then commeth it to passe that shippes sayle by the North cape to Saint Nicholas fiue degrees or more within the frozen Zone and finde the seas free from pester of yse the farther from the shore the clearer from yse And my selfe likewise howe could I haue sayled to the septentrionall latitude of seuentie fiue degrees beeing nine degrees within the frozen Zone betwene two lands where the sea was straightned not fortie leages broâ—de in some places and thereby restrained from the violent motion and set of the maine occiâ—â— anâ— yet founde the same Nauigable and free from yse not onely in the middest of the chanell but also close aborde the estern shore by me 〈◊〉 Desolation and therefore what neede the repetition of authoritics from writers or wrested Philosophical reasons when playne experience maketh the matter so manifest and yet I deny not but that I haue seene in some part of those seas tow sortes of yse in very great quantity as a kind of yse by seamen named ylaâ—â—s of yse being very high aboue the water forty and fiftie fadomes by estimation and higher and â—uery of those haue beene seuen times as much vnder the water which I haue proued by taking a â—eece of yse and haue put the fame in a vessell of salt water and still haue found the seuenth part thereof to bee aboue the water into what â—orme soeuer I haue reduced the same and this kind of yse is nothing but snow which falleth in thâ—se great peeces from the high mountains bordering close vpon the shore depe seas For all the sea coastes of Desolatoin are mountains of equall height with the Pike of Tenerif with verye great vallies betweene them which I haue seene incredible to bee reported that vpon the toppe of some of these ylls of yse there haue beene stones of more then one huâ—â—reth â—â—mes wayght which in his fall that snowe hath torne from the clyffs and in falling maketh such an horible noyse as if their were one hundreth canons shot of at one instant and this kinde of yse is verye white and freshe and with shore winds is many times beaton far of into the seas perhaps twentie
and ordenary trade of the Spanyard and Portingall from Lysborne to the coastes of Guyny Bynny Mina Angola Manicongo and the cost of Ethiopia to the cape of Bona Esperanca and all the cost of Est India and Illes of Molucca by which wonderfull and copious trade they are so mightily inriched as that now they challeng a monarchy vnto them selues vpon the whole face of the earth that their trade I say prooueth that America is farre seperated from any parte of Africa or the South of Asia And the same Spaniard trading in the Citye of Canton within the kingdome of China hauing layd his store-house of aboundance in Manellia a Citye by him erected in Luzon one of the Illes of Phillippa a bordring vpon the cost of China doth by his common and ordenarie passages to Iapan and other the borders of the coast knowe that the Est continent of Asia lieth due North and South so high as the promontory Tabin wher the Scithian sea and this maine occian of China are vnioyned But with what care they labour to conceale that matter of Hydrographie for the better preseruation of their fortunate estate I refer to the excellent iudgement of states men that painefully labour in the glorious administartion of a well gouerned Common weale so that by them Africa and Asia are proued in no parte to ioyne with America thereby to hinder this passage By late experience to proue that America is an Iland and may be sayled round about contrary to the former obiection ASia Africa and Europa being prooued to be conioyned and an Iland it now resteth to bee knowne by what aucthoritie America is proued to be likewise an Iland so that thereby all land impedimentes are remoued which might brede the dread or vncertaynty of this passage The first Englishman that gaue any attempt vpon the coastes of West India being parte of America was Syr Iohn HauKins knight who there and in that attempt as in many others sithins did and hath prooued himselfe to be a man of excellent capacity great gouernment and perfect resolution For before he attempted the same it was a matter doubtfull and reported the extremest lymit of danger to sayle vpon those coastes So that it was generally in dread among vs such is the slowâ—es of our nation for the most part of vs rather ioy at home like Epicures to sit and carpe at other mens hassardes our selues not daring to giue any attempt I meane such as are at leisure to seeke the good of their Countrie not being any wayes imployed as payneâ—ull members of a common weale then either to further or giue due commendations to the deseruers howe then may Syr Iohn Haukins bee esteemed who being a man of good account in his Country of wealth and great imployment did notwithstanding for the good of his Country to procure trade giue that notable and resolute attempt Whose steps many hundreds following sithins haue made themselues men of good esteeme and fit for the seruice of her sacrid maiestie And by that his attempt of America wherof Westindia is a parte is well prooued to be many hundred leagues distant from any part of Afric or Europe Then succeded Syr Francis Drake in his famous and euer renowned voyage about the world who departing from Plimouth directed his course for the straightes of Magillane which place was also reported to be most daÌ„gerous by reason of the continuall violent and vnresistable currant that was reported to haue continuall passage into the straightes so that once entring therein there was no more hope remayning of returne besides the perill of sheldes straightnes of â—ee passage and vncertayne wyndinges of the same all which bread dread in the highest degree the distance and dangers considered So that before his reuealing of the same the matter was in question whether there were such a passage or no or whether Magillane did passe the same if there was such a man so named but Syr Frauncis Drake considering the great benefit that might arise by his voyage through that passage and the notable discoueries that might be therby perfourmed regarded not these dastardly affections of the idle multitude but considering with iudgement that in nature there cold be no such perpetuitie of violence where the occian is in no sorte straighted proceeded with discreet prouision and so departing from England ariued vnto the same and with good successe through Gods most fauorable mercy passed through wherein his resolution hath deserued euerlasting commendations For the place in viewe is dangerous and verye vnpleasing and in the execution to passe Nothing may seeme more doubtful for 14. leagues west within the cape of Saint Maria lyeth the first straight where it floweth and ebbeth with violent swiftnes the straight not half a mile broad the first fall into which straight is verye dangerous and doubtfull This straight lasteth in his narrownes 3. leageâ—â—hen falling into an other sea 8. leages broad and 8. leages through there lyeth the second straight due west South West from the firste which course being vnknowne it is no small perill in finding this sâ—cond straightes and that agayne is not a mâ—le broad and continueth the bredth 3. or 4. leâ—geâ— Southwest with violent swiftnes of flowing and reflowing and there agayne he fallâ—th into an other Sea through which due South South west lyeth the cape froward â—nd his straight so rightly named in the true â—ature of his peruersnes for be the wind neuer so fauorable at that cape it will be directly agaynst you with violent and dangerous flaughes where there are three places probable to continue the passage But the true straight lyeth from this cape West Nor West where the land is very high all couered with snowe and full of dangerous counterwindes that beate with violence from those huge mountaines from which cape the straight is neuer broder then 2. leages and in many places not halfe a mile without hope of ancorage the channell beeing shore deepe more then tow hundreth fadomes and so continueth to the South sea forty leages only to bee releued in little dangerous coues with many turnings and chang of courses how perilous then was this passage to Syr Frauncis Drake to whom at that time no parte therof was knowne And being without reliefe of ancorage was inforced to follow his course in the hell darke nights and in all the fury of tempestious â—â—ormes I am the holder to make tâ—is particulerrelaâ—ion in the praise of his perfect constancy and magnanemitye of spirite because I hauâ— thrâ—â—e passed the same straights haue felt the most bitter mercyles fury thereof Bâ—t now knowing the place as I doe for I haue described euery creke therin I know it to be a voâ—age of as great certaynty pleasure and ease as any whatsoeuer that beareth but ¼ the distaunce from England that these straightes doe And this straight is founde to be 1200. leages from any parte of Africa so that truely it is manifest that these two