THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE a.d. 



1576. 

 long injoy that trade by the Northeast, if there were 

 any such passage that way, the commodities thereof once 

 knowen to the Moscovite, what privilege soever hee hath 

 granted, seeing pollicy with the masse of excessive gaine, 

 to the inriching (so greatly) of himselfe and all his 

 dominions would perswade him to presume the same, 

 having so great opportunitie to utter the commodities of 

 those countries by the Narve. 



But by the Northwest, we may safely trade without 

 danger or annoyance of any prince living, Christian or 

 Heathen, it being out of all their trades. 



8 Also the Queenes Majesties dominions are neerer [III. 22/ 

 the Northwest passage then any other great princes that 

 might passe that way, and both in their going and 

 returne, they must of necessitie succour themselves and 

 their ships upon some part of the same, if any tempes- 

 tuous weather should happen. 



Further, no princes navie of the world is able to in- 

 counter the Queenes Majesties navie, as it is at this pre- 

 sent : and yet it should be greatly increased by the 

 traffike insuing upon this discoverie, for it is the long 

 voyages that increase and maintaine great shipping. 



Now it seemeth necessarie to declare what commodities 

 would growe thereby, if all these things were, as we have 

 heretofore presupposed, and thought them to be : which 

 next adjoyning are briefly declared. 



What commodities would ensue, this passage 

 once discovered. 



Cap. 10. 



First, it were the onely way for our princes, to possesse 

 the wealth of all the East parts (as they terme them) 

 of the world, which is infinite : as appeareth by the 

 experience of Alexander the great, in the time of his con- 

 quest of India, and other the East parts of the world, 

 alleaged by Quintus Curtius, which would be a great 

 advancement to our countrey, a wonderfull inriching to 



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