THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE a.d. 



1576. 

 the same opinion, as by their Mappe cut out in forme 

 of a Hart you may perceive : as though the West Indies 

 were part of Asia. Which sentence well agreeth with that 

 old conclusion in the Schooles : Quicquid praster Africam 

 & Europam est, Asia est, Whatsoever land doeth neither 

 apperteine unto Afrike nor to Europe, is part of Asia. 



Furthermore it were to small purpose to make so long, Ob. 5. 

 so painefull, so doubtfull a voyage by such a new found 

 way, if in Cathayo you should neither bee suffered to 

 land for silkes and silver, nor able to fetch the Molucca 

 spices and pearle for piracie in those Seas. Of a law 

 denying all Aliens to enter into China, and forbid- 

 ding all the inhabiters under a great penaltie to let in 

 any stranger into those countryes, shall you reade in [III. 26.} 

 the report of Galeotto Perera there imprisoned with 

 other Portugals : as also in the Japonish letters, how 

 for that cause the worthy traveller Xavierus bargained 

 with a Barbarian Merchant for a great summe of pepper 

 to be brought into Canton, a port in China. The 

 great and dangerous piracie used in those Seas no man 

 can be ignorant of, that listeth to reade the Japonish 

 and East Indian historic 



Finally, all this great labour would be lost, all these Ob. 6. 

 charges spent in vaine, if in the ende our travellers 

 might not be able to returne againe, and bring safely 

 home into their owne native countrey that wealth & 

 riches, which they in forrein regions with adventure of 

 goods, & danger of their lives have sought for. By 

 the Northeast there is no way, the Southeast passage 

 the Portugals doe hold as the Lords of those Seas. At 

 ye Southwest Magellans experience hath partly taught 

 us, and partly we are persuaded by reason, how the 

 Easterne current striketh so furiously on that straight, 

 and falleth with such force into that narrow gulph, that 

 hardly any ship can returne that way into our West 

 Ocean out of Mar del Zur. The which if it be true, 

 as truely it is, then wee may say that the aforesayd 

 Easterne current or levant course of waters continually 



*95 



