THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE a.d. 



1576. 

 and others discovered to the great commodity of Spaine 

 and all the world : you will thinke then this Northwest 

 passage to be most worthy travell therein. 



For Columbus had none of the West Islands set foorth 

 unto him, either in globe or card, neither yet once 

 mentioned of any writer (Plato excepted, and the com- 

 mentaries upon the same) from 942 yeeres before Christ, 

 untill that day. 



Moreover, Columbus himselfe had neither seene 

 America nor any other of the Islands about it, neither, 

 understood he of them by the report of any other that 

 had seene them, but only comforted himselfe with this 

 hope, that the land had a beginning where the Sea had 

 an ending : for as touching that which the Spaniards doe 

 write of a Biscaine, which should have taught him the 

 way thither, it is thought to be imagined of them, to 

 deprive Columbus of his honour, being none of their 

 countrey man, but a stranger borne. 



And if it were true of the Biscaine, yet did he but 

 rove at the matter, or (at the least) gathered the know- 

 ledge of it, by conjectures onely. 



And albeit my selfe have not seene this passage or 

 any part thereof, but am ignorant of it as touching ex- 

 perience (as Columbus was before his attempt made) yet 

 have I both the report, relation, and authoritie of divers 

 most credible men, which have both seene and passed 

 through some and every part of this discovery, besides 

 sundry reasons for my assurance thereof: all which 

 Columbus wanted. 



These things considered, & indifferently weighed to- 

 gither, with the wonderfull commodities which this 

 discovery may bring, especially to this realme of Eng- 

 land : I must needes conclude with learned Baptista 

 Ramusius, and divers other learned men, who said, that 

 this discovery hath bene reserved for some noble prince 

 or woorthie man, thereby to make himselfe rich, and the 

 world happie : desiring you to accept in good part this 

 briefe and simple discourse, written in haste, which if 



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