THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE ad. 



1576. 

 Tramasinus, Franciscus Demongenitus, Bernardus Pute- 

 anus, Andreas Vavasor, Tramontanus, Petrus Martyr, 

 and also Ortelius, who doth coast out in his generall 

 Mappe set out Anno 1569, all the countreys and Capes, 

 on the Northwest side of America, from Hochelaga to 

 Cape de Paramantia: describing likewise the sea coastes 

 of Cataia and Gronland, towards any part of America, 

 making both Gronland and America, Islands disjoyned 

 by a great sea, from any part of Asia. 



All which learned men and painefull travellers have 

 affirmed with one consent and voice, that America was an 

 Island : and that there lyeth a great Sea betweene it, 

 Cataia, and Grondland, by the which any man of our 

 countrey, that will give the attempt, may with small 

 danger passe to Cataia, the Moluccae, India, and all other 

 places in the East, in much shorter time, then either 

 the Spaniard, or Portugal doeth, or may doe, from the 

 neerest parte of any of their countreys within Europe. 



What moved these learned men to affirme thus much, We 0U S nt h 

 I know not, or to what ende so many and sundry fea * om n & t 

 travellers of both ages have allowed the same : But I reverent 

 conjecture that they would never have so constantly opinion of 

 affirmed, or notified their opinions therein to the world, worthy men. 

 if they had not had great good cause, and many probable 

 reasons, to have lead them thereunto. 



Now least you should make small accompt of ancient 

 writers or of their experiences which travelled long before 

 our times, reckoning their authority amongst fables of 

 no importance : I have for the better assurance of those 

 proofes, set downe some part of a discourse, written in 

 the Saxon tongue, and translated into English by M. 

 Nowel servant to Sir William Cecil, lord Burleigh, and 

 lord high treasurer of England, wherein there is described 

 a Navigation, which one Ochther made, in the time of A Navigation 

 king Alfred, king of Westsaxe Anno 871. the words of °{^ff^ r 

 which discourse were these : Hee sailed right North, m JJ r ^ s ^f 

 having alwaies the desert land on the Starborde, and on 

 the Larbord the maine sea, continuing his course, untill 



163 



