a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1576. 



To prove by authoritie a passage to be on the 

 Northside of America, to goe to Cathaia, and 

 the East India. 



Chapter 1. 



WHen I gave my selfe to the studie of Geographie, 

 after I had perused and diligently scanned the 

 descriptions of Europe, Asia & Afrike, and conferred 

 them with the Mappes and Globes both Antique and 

 Moderne : I came in fine to the fourth part of the world, 

 commonly called America, which by all descriptions I 

 found to bee an Hand environed round about with Sea, 

 having on the Southside of it the frete or straight of 

 Magellan, on the West side Mar del Sur, which Sea 

 runneth towards the North, separating it from the East 

 parts of Asia, where the Dominions of the Cathaians are : 

 On the East part our West Ocean, and on the North 

 side the sea that severeth it from Groneland, thorow 

 which Northren Seas the Passage lyeth, which I take 

 now in hand to discover. 



Plato in Timaeo, and in the Dialogue called Critias, 

 discourseth of an incomparable great Hand then called 

 Atlantis, being greater then all Aifrike and Asia, which 

 lay Westward from the Straights of Gibraltar, navigable 

 round about : affirming also that the Princes of Atlantis 

 did aswell enjoy the governance of all Affrike, and the 

 most part of Europe, as of Atlantis it selfe. 



Also to prove Platos opinion of this Hand, and the 

 inhabiting of it in ancient time by them of Europe, to be 

 of the more credite ; Marinaeus Siculus in his Chronicle 

 of Spaine, reporteth that there have bene found by the 

 Spaniards in the gold Mines of America, certaine pieces 

 of Money ingraved with the Image of Augustus Caesar : 

 which pieces were sent to the Pope for a testimonie of 

 the matter, by John Rufus Archbishop of Consentinum. 



Moreover, this was not only thought of Plato, but by 

 Marsilius Ficinus, and excellent Florentine Philosopher,, 



160 



