encreased their subiects enriched and their superfluitie of coyne ouer-spreading al parts of the world procures their Crowne to flourish and highly commendeth the wisedome of Spaine whose quicke apprehension and spéedy addresse preuented all other Princes albeit as you know their greatnes of minde arising together with their money and meanes hath 〈◊〉 all Christendome these fourtie yeares and more And this I but mention to note the blind diffidence of our English natures which laugh to scorne the name of Virginia and all other new proiects bee they neuer so probable and will not beleeue till wee sée the effects as also to shew how capable men ought to bee in things of great importance aduisedly to take the first occasions We reade of Haniball when chasing home the Romanes to the gates of Rome and neglecting then to scale the walles could neuer after with all his strength and policies come neere the like aduantage yet I must briefely tell you now what I conceiue with ioy that howsoeuer the businesse of this plantation hath beene formerly miscaried yet it is now going on in better way not enterprised by one or two priuate subiects who in their greatnesse of minde sought to compasse that which rather beseemed a mighty Prince such as ours or the whole State to take in hand for it is not vnknowen to you all how many Noble men of Honourable mindes how many worthy Knights Merchants and others of the best disposition are now ioyned together in one Charter to receiue equall priuiledges according to their seuerall aduentures euery man engaging his purse and some Noble-men Knights and Gentlemen intending to goe in their owne persons which I did hears to protest and vow against anie people whomsoeuer shall any way seeke to entrappe or impeach our proceedings an vtter reuenge vpon their bodies or goods if they be to bee found vpon Sea or land whereby we haue assured hope God assisting vs to be effectually able to make good against all and in short time to bring to a most happy euent the thing we take in hand And now in discribing the naturall seate and disposition of the countrie it selfe if I should say no more but with Caleb and Ioshua The land which we haue searched out is a very good land if the Lord loue vs he will bring our people to it and will giue it vs for a possession This were enough to you that are willing but yet a little more in particular obserued by the best Mappes and Printed discourses and by conference of such as haue béene lately there and séene it I thinke good to deliuer to satisfie others First the Uoyage is not long nor tedious sixe Wéekes at ease will send vs thither whereas sixe Moneths suffice not to some other places where wee Trade our course and passage is thorow the great Ocean where is no feare of Rockes or Flattes nor subiect to the streighte and restraint of forraine Princes most Winds that blow are apt and fit for vs and none can hinder vs when wee come to the Coast there is continuall depth enough with good Bottome for Anchor hold and the Land is faire to fall with all full of excellent good Harbours the world affoords no better for Ships of all burdens many pleasant Ilands great and small affronting the Coast Two goodly Riuers are discouered winding farre into the Maine the one in the North part of the Land by our Westerne Colonie Knights and Gentlemen of Excester Plymouth and others The other in the South part thereof by our Colonie of London Upon which Riuer being both broad déepe and pleasant abounding with store of fish our Colony haue begun to fortifie themselues and haue built a towne and named it in honour of our King Iames towne fourescore miles within land vpon the North side of the Riuer as is London vpon the Riuer of Thames from whence wee haue discouered the same Riuer one hundred myles further into the mayne Land in the searching whereof they were so rauisht with the admirable sweetnesse of the streame and with the pleasant land trending along on either side that their ioy excéeded and with great admiration they praised God The country it selfe is large and great assuredly though as yet no exact discouerie can bee made of all It is also commendable and hopefull euerie way the ayre and clymate most swéete and wholsome much warmer then England and very agréeable to our Natures It is inhabited with wild and sauage people that liue and lie vp and downe in troupes like heards of Deare in a Forrest they haue no law but nature their apparell skinnes of beasts but most goe naked the better sort haue houses but poore ones they haue no Arte nor Science yet they liue vnder superior commaund such as it is they are generally very louing and gentle and doe entertaine and relieue our people with great kindnesse they are easie to be brought to good and would fayne embrace a better condition the land yeeldeth naturallie for the sustentation of man aboundance of fish both scale and shell of land and water fowles infinite store of Deere Rainâ— and fallow Stags Coneys and Hares with many fruits and rootes good for meate There are valleyes and plaines streaming with sweets Springs like veynes in a naturall bodie there are hills and mountaines making a sensible proffer of hidden treasure neuer yet searched the land is full of mineralles plentie of woods the wants of England there are growing goodly Okes and Elmes â—eech and Birch Spruce Walnut Cedar and Firre trees in great aboundance the soile is strong and lustie of it owne nature and sendeth out naturally fruitfull Uines running vpon trees and shrubbes it yeeldeth also Roâ—â—n Turpentine Pitch and Tarre Sassafras Mulbery-trees and Silke-wormes many Skinnes and rich Furres many sweete woodes and Dyers woodes and other costly dyes plenty of Sturgion Timber for Shipping Mast Plancke and Deale Sope ashes Cauiare and what else we know not yet because our daies are yong But of this that I haue said if bare nature be so amiable in it naked kind what may we hope when Arte and Nature both shall ioyne and striue together to giue best content to man and beast as now in handling the seuerall parts propounded I shall shew in order as they lie For the first if I forget not my selfe how it may tend to aduance the Kingdome of God by reducing sauage people from their blind superstition to the light of Religion when some obiect wee seeke nothing lesse then the cause of God being led on by our owne priuate ends and secondly how we can warrant a supplantation of those Indians or an inuasion into their right and possessions To the first we say as many actions both good in themselues and in their successe haue béene performed with badde intents so in this case howsoeuer our naughtines of minde may sway very much yet God may haue the honor and his Kingdome aduanced in the action done but yet by the
and people of God shall bee able to lend to all and neede to borrow of none and it added very much to the fame and wisedome of King Solomon which the world came â—arre and neere to wonder at in that his Kingdomes were replenished with golde and siluer in aboundance and with riches brought in by shippes sent yearely forth in ample trade of Merchandize whereof wee reade not the like among all the Kings of Israel And vpon good warrant I speake it here in priuate what by these new discoueries into the Westerne partes and our hopefull setling in chiefest places of the East with our former knowne trades in other parts of the world I doe not doubt by the helpe of God but I may liue to see the dayes if Marchants haue their due encouragement that the wisedome Maiestie and Honour of our King shall be spread and enlarged to the ends of the world our Nauigations mightily encreased and his Maiesties customes more then trebled And as for the third part the releeuing our men already planted to preserue both them and our former aduentures I shall not neede to say much the necessitie is so apparent that I hope no Aduenturer will be wanting therein Our Sauiour Christ resembles them that giue ouer in their best duties to foolish builders that hauing laid the foundation doe grauell themselues in the midde way and so become ridiculous It had béene extreame madnes in the Iewes when hauing sent to spye the land that flowed with milke and honey and ten for two returned backe with tydings of impossibilitie to enter and preuaile if then they had retyred and lost the land of promise No doubt the Deuill that enuied then that enterprize of theirs doth now the like in ours and we must make accompt and look to bee encountred with many discoragements partly by our friends and neighbours such as we vse to say will neither goe to Church nor tarrie at home as also which is no new thing euen by such as haue béen sent to spy the land one while obiecting the charge will be great the businesse long and the gaines nothing and besides the Anakimes that dwell in the mountaines will come and pull vs out by the eares with such like fooleries I know not what But wee must bée prepared with Caleb and Iosua so highly commended to oppose an extraordinarie zeale against the detraâ—â—ings of such to rescue our enterprize from malicious ignorance and to still their murmurings with reproofe for though in ordinarie and common occasions it be our duetie to be caried with ordinarie patience méekenes and humilitie yet to shew an excellent spirit when the cause is worth it and in such a case as this requiring passing resolution It is but our weakenesse to stumble at strawes and a basenesse to gnaw vpon euery bone that is cast in our way which wée may obserue by those noble dogges of Albania presented to King Alexander whose natures contemned to encounter or prey vpon séely beasts of no valour but with an ouerflowing courage flying vpon the Lion and the Tyger did thâ—n declare their vertue And now it followes how it can be good for this Commonwealth which is likewise most apparant many waies First if we consider what strength of shipping may be raysed and maintained thence in furnishing our owne wants of sundrie kindes and the wants of other Nations too in such needfull things arising thence which can hardly now be obtained from any other part of the world as planck and tymber for shipping with Deale and Wainscot pipestaues and clabbord with store of Sope ashes whereof there grow the best woods to make them in great aboundance al which we may there haue the wood for the cutting and the Ashes for the burning which though they bee grosse commodities yet no Marchandize is better requested nor will sooner yeelde golde or siluer in any our bordering Nations England and Holland alone spend in these about three hundreth thousand poundes sterling euery yeare we may transport hether or vnto Hamborough Holland or other places fiftie per centum better cheape then from Prusia or Polonia from whence they are onely now to be had where also the woods are so spent and wasted that from the place where the wood is cut and the ashes burnt they are brought by land at least two hundred miles to ship And from thence we may haue Iron and Copper also in great quantitie about which the expence and waste of woode as also for building of Shippes will be no hurt but great seruice to that countrey the great superfluity whereof the continuall cutting downe in manie hundred yeares will not be able to ouercome whereby will likewise grow a greater benefite to this land in preseruing our woodes and tymber at home so infinitely and without measure vpon these occasions cutte downe and falne to such a sickenesse and wasting consumption as all the physick in England cannot cure Wee doubt not but to make there in few yeares store of good wines as any from the Canaries by replanting and making tame the Uines that naturally grow there in great abundance onely send men of skill to doe it and Coopers to make caske and hoopes for that and all other vses for which there is wood enough at hand There are Silke-wormes and plenty of Mulberie-trees whereby Ladies Gentlewomen and litle children beeing set in the way to doe it may bee all imploied with pleasure in making Silke comparable to that of Persia Turkey or any other We may bring from thence Sturgion Cauiare and new land-fish of the best There grows hempe for Cordage an excellent commoditie and flaxe for linnen cloth which beeing sowen and well manured in such a clymate and fertile soyle will make great benefite and will put downe that of other countries And for the making of Pitch Tarre Turpentine Sope-ashes Deale Wainscott and such like wee haue alreadie prouided and sent thither skillfull workemen from Forraine parts which may teach and set ours in the way whereby we may set many thousands a worke in these and such like seruices For as I tolde you before there must be Art and industry with other helps and meanes extended with a little pacience to bring these things to passe wee must not looke to reape with ioy except we sow in teares The aboundance of King Salomons golde and siluer did not raine from heauen vpon the heads of his subiects but heauenly prouidence blessed his Nauigations and publike affayres the chiefe meanes of their wealth Experience hath lately taught vs by some of our neighbour Prouinces how excéedingly it mounts the State of a common-wealth to put forth Nauigation if it were possible into all parts and corners of the world to furnish our owne wants and also to supply from one Kingdome to another such seuerall néedefull things as for want of shipping and other meanes they cannot furnish of themselues for this will raise experience and men of skill as also strength at Sea and
NOVA BRITANNIA OFFERING MOST Excellent fruites by Planting in VIRGINIA Exciting all such as be well affected to further the same LONDON Printed for SAMVEL MACHAM and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the Signe of the Bul-head 1609. To the Right Worshipfull Sir THOMAS SMITH of London Knight one of his Maiesties Councell for VIRGINIA and Treasurer for the Colonie and Gouernour of the Companies of the MOSCOVIA and East INDIA Merchants Peace health and happinesse in CHRIST Right worshipfull Sir FOrasmuch as I haue alwayes obserued your honest zeale to God accompanied with so excellent carriage and resolution in actions of best consequence I cannot but discouer vnto you for your further encouragement the summe of a priuate speech or discourse touching our plantation in Virginia vttered not long since in London where some few Aduenturers well affecting the enterprise being met together touching their intended proiect one among the rest stood vp and began to relate in effect as followeth R. I. NOVA BRITANNIA Offering most excellent fruites by Planting in VIRGINIA WHereas in our last méeting and conference the other day obseruing your sufficient reasons answering all obiections and your coÌ„stant resolution to go on in our Plantation they gaue me so good content and satisfaction that I am driuen against my selfe to confesse mine own error in standing out so long whereby many of you my frends were engaged in the businesse before mée at whose often instigations I was but little moued and lightly estéemed of it till being in place where obseruing the wise and prudent spéech of a worthy Gentleman well knowne to you all a most painful mannager of such publike affayres within this Cittie which moued so effectually touching the publike vtilitie of this noble enterprize that withholding no longer I yéelded my money aad endeuours as others did to aduance the same and now vpon more aduised consideration I must néedes say I neuer accompted my poore meanes employed to better purpose then by Gods helpe the successe of this may bee and therefore I cannot but deliuer if you please to heare what I rudely conceiue of a suddaine There are diuers monuments already publisht in Print to the world manifesting and shewing that the Coasts and parts of Virginia haue beene long since discouered peopled and possessed by many English both men women and children the naturall subiects of our late Queene Elizabeth of famous memorie conducted and left there at sundrie times And that the same footing and possession is there kept and possessed by the same English or by their seede and of-spring without any interruption or inuasion either of the Sauages the natiues of the countrie or of any other Prince or people for ought wee â—eare or know to this day which argueth sufficiently to vs and it is true that ouer those English and Indian people no Christian King or Prince other then Iames our Soueraigne Lord and King ought to haue rule or Dominion or can by possession conquest or inheritance truely claime or make iust title to those Territories or to any part thereof except it bee as wee heare of late that a challenge is laid to all by vertue of a Donation from Alexander the sixt Pope of Rome wherein they say is giuen all the West Indies including Florida and Virginia with all America and whatsoeuer Ilands adiacent But what is this to vs they are blind indeede that stumble here it is much like that great donation of Constantine whereby the Pope himselfe doeth hold and claime the Citie of Rome and all the Westerne Empire a thing that so crosseth all Histories of truth and sound Antiquitie that by the apt resemblance of those two Donations the whole West Empire from a temporall Prince to the Pope and the whole West Indies from the Pope to a temporall Prince I doe verily gesse they be neere of kinne they are so like each other the one an olde tale vaine and fabulous the other a new toy most idle and ridiculous When the flatterers of Cambises King of Persia could find no law to warrant his immoderate lust and incestuous mariage with his owne daughter yet they told him of another law which they had found wherby the Kings of Persia might doe what they listed if in these cases likewise there bee a law that the Pope may doe what he list let them that list obey him for we beleeue not in him Letting goe therefore these legendarie fables which howsoeuer some men holde authenticke as their Creede yet are they in the iudgement of wise men things of no value nor doe import to vs any cause of doubt or feare but that wee goe on in our honest enterprise and lawfull purpose now in hand that as wee hope his Maiestie mindeth not the reliquishing his estate and enterest deriued to him by right of succession from his immediate predecessor but for the further planting and succouring our old Colony hath giuen vs leaue to make new supplies which wee lately sent thither vnder the conduct of Christopher Newport Captaine And hath granted many gratious priuiledges vnder the great Seale to vs and to our Heirs for euer that will aduenture or plant in the said plantation So I wish and intreat all well affected subiects some in their persons others in their purses cheerefully to aduenture and ioyntly take in hand this high and acceptable worke tending to aduance and spread the Kingdome of God and the knowledge of the truth among so many millions of men and women Sauage and blind that neuer yet saw the true light shine before their eyes to enlighten their minds and comfort their soules as also for the honour of our King and enlarging of his kingdome and for preseruation and defence of that small number our friends and countrimen already planted least for want of more supplies we become a scorne to the world subiecting our former aduentures to apparant spoile and hazard and our people as a prey to be sackt and puld out of possession as were the French out of Noua Francia not many yers ago and which is the lest and last respect yet vsuallie preferred for the singular good and benefite that wil vndoubtedly arise to this whole Nation and to euerie one of vs in particular that will aduenture therein as by true relation God willing I shal make it manifestly appeare to all It is knowne to the world and cannot bee forgotten that the dayes and raigne of Queene Elizabeth brought forth the highest degree of wealth happinesse and honour that euer England had before her time whereof to let passe the particular praises as impertinent to my purpose I doe onely call to minde our Royall Fleetes and Marchants Shippes the Iewels of our land our excellent Nauigators and admirable voyages as into all parts and round about the Globe with good successe to the high fame and glorie of our Nation so especially their aime and course was most directed to the new found world to the
lyeu obscure and hid But howeuer that bee yet these good mindes and resolutions doe serue for imitation to others and do deserue assuredly the best encouragement whereby wee shall not still betake our selues to small and little Shipping as wee dayly doe beginne but shall reare againe such Marchants Shippes both tall and stout as no Forreine Sayle that swimmes shall make them vaile or stoope wherby to make this little Northerne corner of the world to be in short time the richest Store-house and Staple for Marchandize in all Europe The second thing to make this plantation is money to be raised among the aduenturers wherein the sooner and more déeply men engage themselues their charge wil be the shorter their gaine the greater as in this last point which I haue to speake for the good of each particular Aduenturer I will make it plaine First you shall vnderstand that his Maiestie hath graunted vs an enlargement of our Charter with many ample priuiledges wherein we haue Knights and Gentlemen of good place Named for the Kings counsell of Virginia to gouerne vs As also euery Planter and Aduenturer shall bee inserted in the Patent by name This ground being laide wee purpose presently to make supply of Men Women and children so many as we can to make the Plantation Wee call those Planters that goe in their persons to dwell there And those Aduenturers that aduenture their money and go not in person and both do make the members of one Colonie We do account twelue pound ten shillings to be a single share aduentured Euery ordinary man or woman if they will goe and dwell there and euery Childe aboue tenne yeares that shall be caried thither to remaine shal be alowed for each of their persons a single share as if they had aduentured twelue pound ten shillings in money Euery extraordinarie man as Diuines Gouernors Ministers of state and Iustice Knights Gentlemen Physitions and such as be men of worth for speciall seruices are all to goe as planters and to execute their seueral functions in the Colonie and are to be maintained at the common charge and are to receiue their Diuident as others doe at seuen yeares end and they are to be agréed with all before they goe and to be rated by the Councell according to the value of their persons which shal be set downe and Registred in a booke that it may alwaies appeare what people haue gone to the Plantation at what time they went and how their persons were valued And likewise if any that goe to bee planters will lay downe money to the Treasurer it shall bee also registred and their shares inlarged accordingly be it for more or less Al charges of setling and maintaining the plantation and of making supplies shall be borne in a ioint stock of the aduenturers for seuen yeares after the date of our new enlargement during which time there shal be no aduenture nor goods returned in priuate from thence neytheir by Master Marriner Planter nor passenger they shal be restrained by bond and search that as we supplie from hence to the Planters at our owne charge all necessaries for food and apparel for fortifying and building of houses in a ioynt stock so they are also to returne from thence the encrease and fruits of their labours for the vse and aduancement of the same ioynt stocke till the end of seuen yeares at which time wee purpose God willing to make a diuision by Commissioners appointed of al the lands graunted vnto vs by his Maiestie to euery of the Colonie according to each mans seuerall aduenture agréeing with our Register booke which wee doubt not will bee for euery share of twelue pound tenne shillings fiue hundred acres at least Now if any thinke that we shal be tyed to a continual charge of making new supplies for seuen yeares let them conceiue thus much that if wee doe it thorowly at the first by engaging our selues at once in furnishing many men and other meanes assuredly after the second yeare the returnes from thence wil be able with an ouer-plus to make supplies at large so that our purses shal be freed and the ouer-plus of stock will also grow to greatnes which stock is also as the land to be diuided equally at seuen yeares end or sooner or so often as the company shall thinke fit for the greatnes of it to make a Diuident And as by this wée shall be soone freed from charge and expence so there grows a greater benefit to the planters by bestowing their labours chéerefully to make returne of Stocke for hereby the sooner they fâ—eeing vs from disbursments the more our shares and portions will be lessened in the Diuident of Stocke and land at seuen yéeres end whereby the lesse comming to vs the more will be to them so that héere is no discouragement any way if men will be capable to doe themselues good But if wee will be so wise to linger and lie in the winde to heare what newes to bring in our Stocke next yeare and when we are behinde for foure or fiue Aduentures we come dropping in with one or two and still runne in arrerages for twice so much For I know many that would bring in stocke amongst vs but they lie out to sée what successe first and vpon such like termes Is this Gentleman-like or Marchant-like in truth it is paultry and such as would bring all to naught if we should bee so minded too and I tell you true our single shares wil make but a hungry Plantation if we doe not at the least double them now and therefore I vrge it the more for that the very life of all is now in the beginning by making our supplies thoroughly and thence will our gaines arise both sooner and certaine yet I graunt that others may come in hereafter at any time eyther to aduenture hâ—s person or money or both but if there be spent one yeere of the seuen before he comes in or hée that comes in with the first shall notwithstanding bée a yeare behinde in supplies they shall be both alike shortened in a seuenth part of the Diuident both of stocke and lands and if two yeeres behinde then shortned two seuenths and if but sixe moneths yet a fourtéenth part for euery man is Registered according to the time his money or person beganne to aduenture or made supply so that they which come late get not the 〈◊〉 of those that bore the first brunt of the busines and this will neither aduantage him that withholds nor hinder â—im that is forward for whatsoeuer falles from him that is slack will be found of him that supplies in due time But euery man that comes in now in the first of these seuen yéers and shal afterwards vpon al occasions perform iâ— due time euery twelue pound ten shillings so brought in shall bee accounted an entice single share and shall receiue accordingly without abridgement as it had béene brought in when the
enterprize first began and not otherwise And as for the diuisions of landes at seuen yeeres ende which some may obiect will be little worth and vnequally dâ—uided let them vnderstand that no man shall haue his lot entirely in one place to be al of the best or al of the worst but each man shall haue proportionably to his aduentures in thrée or foure distinct differences that may bee made in the goodnes or badnes of the groundes by Commissioners equally chosen by the Aduenturers héere and the Planters there and as for the value and little worth now of those grounds in Virginia we know that in England within these thirty or fortie yeeres the yéerely rent of those grounds in many places were not worth fiue shillings that now do goe for fourtie and more And howsoeuer those grounds in Virginia are now but little worth indéede yet time and meanes will make them better considering how they passe our grounds in England both in regard of the soile and clymate fitte for many precious vses And also in how many seuerall places we purpose to plant our Colony and not to bestow our costs vppon Iames-towne onely and vpon the grounds lying thereabout and to let al the rest lie barren for seeing his Maiestie hath graunted to our Colony as much circuite of ground as all England almost we purpose God willing if wee may be supplied with sufficient meanes to settle out of hand sixe or seuen plantations more al vpon or neare our main-riuer as capitall townes twenty miles each from other and euery plantation shall manure and husband the lands and grounds lying néere vnto it and alotted for the circuite thereof and shall all endeuour for a ioynt stocke and shall be still supplied from hence with more money and prouisions and against any publike iniury shall be ready to vnite and ioyne themselues together and by this meaâ—es wee shall come to haue our Diuident in landes of worth and well manured which will be eyther bought or rented of vs at a good value by the planters or by such as intend hereafter to inhabite there as also by these seueral plantations which happly one place better fitting then another wee shall bring forth more seuerall sorts of Marchandize and be also better fortified and besides the Planters will be in such hope to haue their owne shares and habitations in those lands which they haue so husbanded that it will cause contending and emulation among them which shall bring foorth the most profitable and beneficiall fruits for the ioynt stocke Whereby vndoubtedly we shall be soone fréed from further expence our gaines will grow and our stocke encrease we shall fell our tymber saw our planck and quickly make good shipping there and shall returne from thence with good imployment an hundred saile of good Shippes yearely all which good and much more wee shall withstand and bring our selues into a laborinth if wee pinch and spare our purses now therefore not to holde you longer with many wordes being neere Exchange time as I take it remember what I haue said in prouing my proposition and take my conclusion in a word or two Séeing our prouocations are so many our cause and title good auaunt all idle oracles that seeke to bar vs The wisedome of the wisest saith in these cases VVhatsoeuer thy hand shall find to doe do it with all thy might Our forefathers not looking out in time lost the prime and fairest proffer of the greatest wealth in the world and we taxe their omission for it yet now it falles out that wee their children are tryed in the like there being yet an excellent portion left and by Diuine prouidence offered to our choice which seeing we haue armes to embrace let it not be accounted hereafter As a prize in the hands of fooles that had no hearts to vse it The honour of our nation is now very great by his Maiesties meanes and wee his subiects cannot enlarge and vphold it by gazing oâ— and talking what hath béene done but by doing that good which may bee commended hereafter if we sitte still and let slip occasions we shall gather rust and doe vnfeather our owne wings committing the folly of the wise Romanes heerein that in time of their glory flowing with the Conquestes and spoiles of the world and hauing gotten the Goddesse Victoria to Rome they clipt her wings and set her vp among their Gods that shée might take her flight no more as shee had formerly done from the Gretians and others and so effeminating their valour with idlenesse and security it brought confusion and ruine to their state Let not such a prize of hopefull euents so lately purchased by the hazard of our valiant men in the déepe Seas of forreine dangers now perish in the Hauen by our neglect the liues of our friends already planted and of those noble Knights and Gentlemen that entend to goe shortly must lie at our mercy to be reléeued and supplied by vs or to be made a prey vnto others though wee feare not the subiects of any Prince in amity that they will offer wrong vnto vs And howsoeuer we heare tales and rumours of this and that yet be not dismaid for I tell you if we find that any miscreants haue wronged or goe about to hurt our few hundreds there we shall be ready to right it againe with many thousands like the giant Anteus whose often foiles renued his strength the more And consider well that great worke of fréeing the poore Indians from the deuourer a compassion that euery good man but passing by would shew vnto a beast their children when they come to be saued will blesse the day when first their fathers saw your faces If those vndaunted English and Scottish Captaines that so often ventured their liues and spilt their blood to reconquer Palestina from the Turks and Sarazens had séen the gappe so open in their daies and the way leading to so many goodly purchases certainely it had not now béene left for vs to doe How strange a thing is this that al the States of Europe haue béene a sleepe so long that for an hundred yeres and more the wealth and riches of the East and West should runne no other current but into one coffer so long til the running ouer spread it selfe abundantly among a factious crew of new created Friers and that to no more speciall end then with instigating bloody plots to pierce the heart of a Christian State and true Religion It is long since I read in a little treatise made by Frith an English Martyre an excellent foretelling touching the happinesse of these Northerne Ilands and of great wonders that should bee wrought by Scots and English before the comming of Christ but I haue almost forgotten and cannot readily call it to mind as I would and therefore I omitte it now Protesting vnto you it would bee my griefe and sorrow to bee exempted from the company of so many honorable minded men and from this enterprise tending to so many good ends and then which I truely thinke this day there is not a worke of more excellent hope vnder the Sun and farre excelling all circumstances wayed those Noble deeds of Alexander Hercules and those heathen Monarks for which they were deemed Gods among their posterity And so I leaue it to your consideration with a memorable note of Thomas Lord Howard Earle of Surry when K. Henry the eight with his Nobles at Douer tooke shipping for Turwin Turney and bidding the said Earle farewel whom he made Gouernour in his absence the Story sayth the Nobleman wept and tooke his leaue with teares an admirable good nature in a valiant minde greeuing to be left behinde his Prince and Peeres in such an honourable seruice FINIS