LAURENCE KEYMIS ad. 



1596. 

 cause, and in stead of opening it throughly to thy 

 prudent consideration, to note only mine owne unsatis- 

 fied affection : hoping that because I doe name Guiana 

 unto thee, thou wilt vouchsafe hoc nomine, to vaile 

 and cover all other my defects in the desert of a good 

 meaning. In publishing this Treatise, my labor princi- 

 pally tendeth to this end ; to remove all fig-leaves 

 from our unbeliefe, that either it may have cause to 

 shake off the colourable pretences of ignorance : or if 

 we will not be perswaded ; that our selfe-will may rest 

 inexcusable. They that shall apply, and construe this 

 my doing, to serve the Spaniard his turne so well as 

 our owne; in so much as it may seeme to instruct, 

 warne, and arme him : for their satisfaction herein, 

 they must not be ignorant, that his eyes, in seeing our 

 shipping there, doe as effectually informe him, that 

 many of our hearts are toward that place, as if it 

 should be credibly advertised by some corrupt hireling, 

 that we thinke, write, and discourse of nothing els. 

 Neither can I imagine, that to conceale our knowledge 

 herein (which to conceale may perhaps prove, & be 

 hereafter taken for worse then paricide) would be of 

 better purpose, then to hood winke our selves, as who 

 would say. No man shall see us. Besides, if the action 

 were wholy to bee effected at her Majesties charge ; 

 then might it at her Highnesse pleasure be shadowed 

 with some other drift, and never be discovered, untill 

 it were acted. But since it craveth the approbation 

 and purses of many Adventurers, who cannot be so 

 prodigall both of their possessions and lives, as 

 voluntarily to run themselves out of breath, in pur- 

 suing they know not what : great reason it is, that 

 where assistance is to be asked, due causes be yeelded 

 to perswade & induce them unto it. The Spaniard is 

 not so simple, unsetled, & uncertaine in his determina- 

 tions, as to build them on our breath, or to make our 

 papers his Bulwarks ; nor so slow as to expect a 

 precedent of our forwardnes. His proceedings are suffi- 



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