ad. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1578. 

 Commissioners increased, her Majestie appointed speciall Commissioners 

 appointed to cn0 sen for this purpose, gentlemen of great judgement, 

 goodnesse of art > an ^ skill, to looke thorowly into the cause, for the 

 the Ore. true triall and due examination thereof, and for the full 



handling of all matters thereunto appertaining. And be- 

 cause that place and countrey hath never heretofore beene 

 A name given discovered, and therefore had no speciall name, by which 

 ye place neiv it m igh t be called and knowen, her Majestie named it 

 very properly Meta Incognita, as a marke and bound 

 utterly hitherto unknowen. The commissioners after 

 sufficient triall and proofe made of the Ore, and having 

 understood by sundrie reasons, and substantiall grounds, 

 the possibilitie and likelyhood of the passage, advertised 

 her highnesse, that the cause was of importance, and the 

 voyage greatly worthy to be advanced againe. Where- 

 upon preparation was made of ships and all other things 

 necessary, with such expedition, as the time of the yeere 

 then required. And because it was assuredly made 

 accompt of, that the commoditie of Mines, there already 

 discovered, would at the least countervaile in all respects 

 Thehopeofthe the adventurers charge, and give further hope & likely- 

 passage to hood G f greater matters to follow : it was thought 

 needfull, both for the better guard of those parts already 

 found, and for further discovery of the Inland and 

 secrets of those countreys, & also for further search of 

 the passage to Cataya (whereof the hope continually 

 more & more increaseth) that certaine numbers of chosen 

 souldiers and discreet men for those purposes should 

 A firte to be De assigned to inhabite there. Whereupon there was a 

 utlt mMeta stron g f ort or nouse f timber, artificially framed, & 

 incognita. P . . . . . 111 1 J 1 



cunningly devised by a notable learned man here at 



home, in ships to be caried thither, wherby those men 

 that were appointed to winter & stay there the whole 

 yere, might aswell bee defended from the danger of the 

 snow and colde ayre, as also fortified from the force or 

 offence of those countrey people, which perhaps other- 

 wise with too great multitudes might oppresse them. 

 And to this great adventure and notable exploit many 



320 



