AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1596. 



whome it may concerne. and testifie your care and expence 

 in following the same : that in a second age, when in 

 time trueth shall have credite, and men wondering at the 

 riches, and strength of this place (which nature it selfe 

 hath marvelously fortified, as her chiefe treasure-house) 

 shall mourne and sigh to holde idle cicles, whilest others 

 reape and gather in this harvest, it bee not sayde, that Sir 

 Walter Ralegh was of all men living in his dayes, most 

 industrious in seeking, most fortunate in attaining to the 

 fulnesse of an inestimable publique good : if, knowing 

 that for envie and private respectes, his labours were 

 lessened, his informations mistrusted, his proffers not 

 regarded, and the due honour of his deserts imparted to 

 others : If (I say) seeing, knowing and bearing all this, 

 hee with patience had persisted in so good a way in doing 

 his Princesse, and countrey service ; and had but perfected 

 his first discoverie by sending a shippe or two for that 

 purpose : for then surely all lets and doubts being re- 

 mooved, and so large a kingdome, so exceeding rich, so 

 plentiful of all things, as this by his discourse appeared to 

 bee, being offered : no devises and vaine surmises could 

 have taken place, no illusions could have prevailed : it 

 had bene blindnesse and deafenesse in those, that being 

 neere her Majestic doe spend their dayes in serving the 

 common weale, not to see, and knowe in so weightie a 

 inatter : it had beene malicious obstinacie, impotencie of 

 minde, and more then treason to the common wealth, the 

 matter standing onely upon acceptance, to seeke either to 

 foreslowe so fit an occasion, or forsake so generall a 

 blessing. This (if) is nowe cut off through a singular 

 ■ and incomparable temper, in overcomming evile with 

 good. 



This your seconde discoverie hath not onely founde 

 a free and open entrance into Raleana, which the Naturals 

 call Orenoque : but moreover yeeldeth choyse of fourtie 

 severall great rivers (the lesser I do not reckon) being for 

 the most part with small vessels navigable for our mar- 

 chants & others, that do now finde little profit in setting 



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