LAURENCE KEYMIS a.d. 



1596. 



know the contrary. Are they subject to penury ? In 

 all parts of Christendom, where money is not scant, all 

 other things are plentifull. Or is their land not able 

 to sustain their numbers of people ? They buy many 

 slaves to follow their husbandry, & themselves disdain- 

 ing base idlenes & beggery, do all honour military 

 profession, highly esteeming it in their mercenaries and 

 strangers. Is it then want of ability, in those that are 

 willing, lacke of incouragement, or default of speedy 

 order and direction for those that doe voluntarily offer 

 themselves, their substance, & best indevour to further 

 this cause ; that maketh us to be thus coated of the 

 Spaniard ? The first is no question. The later needeth 

 no answere. The profit then by their example to be 

 gathered, is, not to loose opportunitie by delay, or to 

 seeme feareful and dismayed, where there is no cause 

 of doubt. For as yet their post-haste doeth no way 

 prejudice our advised leisure in setting forward, since 

 their preparations of Negros to worke in the mynes, 

 their horses, cattell, and other necessaries may (by the 

 favour of God) at our first comming, both store us 

 with quantities of gold oare, and ease us of much 

 trouble, paines, and travaile. If we should suppose our 

 selves now to live in the dayes of King Henry the 

 seventh of famous memory, and the strange report of 

 a West Indies, or new world abounding with great 

 treasure should entice us to beleeve it : perhaps it 

 might be imputed for some blame to the gravity of 

 wise men, lightly to bee carried with the perswasion 

 and hope of a new found Utopia, by such a one as 

 Columbus was, being an alien, and many wayes subject 

 to suspition. But since the penance of that incredulity 

 lieth even now heavy on our shoulders ; the example 

 forethreatning, I know not what repentance : and that 

 we have the personal triall of so honourable and sufficient 

 . a Reporter, our own Countriman : let it be farre from 

 us to condemne our selves in that, which so worthily 

 we reprove in our predecessors ; and to let our idle 



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