a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1578. 



the world that was left yet undone, whereby a notable 

 minde might be made famous and fortunate. But 

 although his will were great to performe this notable 

 voyage, whereof he had conceived in his minde a great 

 hope by sundry sure reasons and secret intelligence, which 

 here for sundry causes I leave untouched, yet he wanted 

 altogether meanes and ability to set forward, and per- 

 forme the same. Long time he conferred with his 

 private friends of these secrets, and made also many offers 

 for the performing of the same in effect unto sundry 

 merchants of our countrey above 15 yeres before he 

 attempted the same, as by good witnesse shall well 

 appeare (albeit some evill willers which challenge to 

 themselves the fruits of other mens labours have greatly 

 injured him in the reports of the same, saying that they 

 have bene the first authours of that action, and that they 

 have learned him the way, which themselves as yet have 

 never gone) but perceiving that hardly he was hearkened 

 unto of the merchants, which never regard vertue without 

 sure, certaine, and present gaines, he repaired to the 

 Court (from whence, as from the fountaine of our 

 Common wealth, all good causes have their chiefe in- 

 crease and maintenance) and there layed open to many 

 great estates and learned men the plot and summe of his 

 device. And amongst many honourable minds which 

 favoured his honest and commendable enterprise, he was 

 specially bound and beholding to the right honourable 

 Ambrose Dudley earle of Warwicke, whose favourable 

 minde and good disposition hath alwayes bene ready to 

 countenance and advance all honest actions with the 

 authours and executers of the same : and so by meanes 

 of my lord his honourable countenance he received some 

 comfort of his cause, and by litle and litle, with no small 

 expense and paine brought his cause to some perfection, 

 and had drawen together so many adventurers and such 

 summes of money as might well defray a reasonable 

 charge to furnish himselfe to sea withall. 



He prepared two small barks of twenty and five and 



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