ad. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1527. 



truely the danger & way is shorter to us, then to 

 Spaine or Portingall, as by evident reasons appereth. 

 Note. And now to declare something of the commodity and 



utilitie of this Navigation and discoverie : it is very cleere 

 and certaine, that the Seas that commonly men say, 

 without great danger, difficulty and perill, yea rather it 

 is impossible to passe, that those same Seas be navigable 

 and without anie such danger, but that shippes may 

 passe and have in them perpetuall clerenesse of the day 

 without any darkenesse of the night : which thing is a 

 great commoditie for the navigants, to see at all times 

 round about them, as well the safegards as dangers, and 

 how great difference it is betweene the commoditie and 

 perils of other which leese the most part of every foure 

 and twentie houres the said light, and goe in darkenesse 

 groping their way, I thinke there is none so ignorant 

 but perceiveth this more plainely, then it can be ex- 

 pressed. Yea what a vantage shal your Graces subjects 

 have also by this light to discover the strange lands, 

 countries, and coastes ? For if they that be discovered, 

 to saile by them in darkenesse is with great danger, much 

 more then the coastes not discovered be daungerous to 

 travell by night or in darkenesse. Yet these dangers 

 or darkenesse hath not letted the Spanyards and Por- 

 tingals and other, to discover many unknowen Realmes 

 to their great perill. Which considered (and that your 

 Graces subjects may have the same light) it will seeme 

 your Graces subjects to be without activity or courage, 

 in leaving to doe this glorious and noble enterprise. For 

 they being past this litle way which they named so 

 dangerous, (which may be two or three leagues before 

 Navigation they come to the Pole, and as much more after they 

 under the Pole, passe the Pole) it is cleere, that from thence foorth the 

 seas and landes are as temperate as in these partes, and 

 that then it may be at the will and pleasure of the 

 mariners, to choose whether they will sayle by the coastes, 

 that be colde, temperate or hote. For they being past the 

 Pole, it is plaine, they may decline to what part they list. 



162 



