AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1596. 



Trinidad, to fortifie there, and keepe the passage of this 

 river, are an evident argument that the king feareth and 

 doubteth the sequele of this discoverie. For can it bee 

 a small matter ? Or hath hee so waste imployment for 

 his men and shipping, that upon no ground, hee would 

 send eight and twentie shippes, to keepe us onely from 

 Tabacco ? For what els that good is can Trinidad yeelde 

 us ? No doubtlesse, if the returne of Berreo his Campe- 

 master with tenne of these shippes be compared with pre- 

 cedent advertisements concerning him : it will appeare 

 more then probable, that the Guiana-golde waged these 

 men and shipping : and that they are nowe more carefull 

 to obtaine this place, then to keepe others, which they 

 have already gotten, which note, except in matters of 

 extraordinarie account, is not incident to their policie and 

 proceedings. Againe, it cannot bee thought that either it 

 was senselesse madnesse in the governours of Margarita, 

 and the Caracas, to bring their states and lives in ques- 

 tion, by seeking, contrarie to their kings order, to enter 

 Guiana, and kill Berreo with his followers : or else the 

 abundance of pearle in Margarita, and the golde mines 

 in the Caracas, seeming matters of small account : Guiana 

 onely was in their judgement, rich, plentifull, and able 

 of it selfe to redeeme their trespasse and offence, howe 

 great soever it should bee. 



The sundry attemptes and overthrowes of the 

 Spaniardes being men of power, and honourable place, 

 in labouring threescore and three yeeres and upwardes, 

 to inlarge the kingdome of Spaine with this mightie and 

 great empire, doe plalnely shewe, that they long time 

 sought a path, where in one moneth a high way was 

 found : that the losse of their lives witnesseth their 

 desires, and the worthinesse of the thing, where to us the 

 easinesse of obteining discrediteth the greatnes of the 

 attempt : and that if now at the last they doe prevaile, 

 they must holde by tyrannic that which they get by the 

 sword ; where then our returne nothing by the Indians is 

 more wished for, nothing expected more earnestly. 



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