ad. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1576. 



his then comming into Ireland, told him there, that he 

 came from Mar del Sur into Germany through this 

 Northwest passage, & shewed Salvaterra (at that time 

 being then with him in Mexico) a Sea Card made by 

 his owne experience and travell in that voyage, wherein 

 was plainly set downe and described this Northwest 

 passage, agreeing in all points with Ortelius mappe. 



And further, this Frier tolde the king of Portugall 

 (as he returned by that countrey homeward) that there 

 was (of certainty) such a passage Northwest from Eng- 

 land, and that he meant to publish the same : which 

 done, the king most earnestly desired him not in any 

 wise to disclose or make the passage knowen to any 

 [III. 20.] nation : For that (said the king) if England had know- 

 T he words oj i ec jg e anc [ experience thereof, it would greatly hinder 

 Portugall to both the king of Spaine and me. This Frier (as Sal- 

 Andro Urda- vaterra reported) was the greatest Discoverer by sea, 

 neta a Frier, that hath bene in our age. Also Salvaterra being 

 touching the perswaded of this passage by the frier Urdaneta, and 

 7his Northwest by tne common opinion of the Spaniards inhabiting 

 passage from America, offered most willingly to accompanie me in 

 England to this Discovery, which of like he would not have done 

 Cataia. «f ne nac [ stoo d in doubt thereof. 



And now as these moderne experiences cannot be 

 impugned, so, least it might be objected that these 

 things (gathered out of ancient writers, which wrote so 

 many yeeres past) might serve litle to proove this 

 An objection, passage by the North of America, because both America 

 and India were to them then utterly unknowen : to 

 Aristotle lib. re moove this doubt, let this suffise : That Aristotle 



f Xw«r A ( wh ° was 3 °°- y eeres before christ ) named Mare inc *i- 



/^ 5 cum. Also Berosus (who lived 330 yeres before Christ) 



hath these words, Ganges in India. Also in the first 

 chapter of Hester be these wordes, In the dayes of 

 Assuerus which ruled from India to Aethiopia, which 

 Assuerus lived 580 yeeres before Christ. Also Quintus 

 Curtius (where he speaketh of the conquests of Alex- 

 ander) mentioneth India. Also, Arianus, Philostratus, 



180 



