ad. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1589. 



with their meat (in some quantitie) except it were such as 

 had vowed rather to starve then to stir out of their places 

 for food : of whom we had too many, who if their time 

 had served for it, might have seen in many campes in 

 the most plentifull countries of the world for victuals, 

 men daily die with want of bread and drinke in not 

 having money to buy, nor the countrey yeelding any 

 good or healthful water in any place ; whereas both 

 Spaine and Portugall do in every place affoord the best 

 water that may be, and much more healthful then any 

 wine for our drinking. 



And although some have most injuriously exclaimed 

 against the smal provisions of victuals for the sea, rather 

 grounding the same upon an evil that might have fallen, 

 then any that did light upon us : yet know you this, that 

 there is no man so forgetfull, that will say they wanted 

 before they came to the Groine, that whosoever made not 

 very large provisions for himselfe & his company at the 

 Groine, was very improvident, where was plentiful store 

 of wine, biefe and fish, & no mart of place prohibited to 

 lay in the same into their ships, wherewith some did so 

 furnish themselves, as they did not onely in the journey 

 supplie the wants of such as were lesse provident then 

 they, but in their returne home made a round commoditie 

 of the remainder thereof. And that at Cascais there came 

 in such store of provisions into the Fleet out of England, 

 as no man that would have used his diligence could have 

 wanted his due proportion thereof, as might appeare by 

 the remainder that was returned to Plimmouth, and the 

 plentifull sale thereof made out of the marchants ships 

 after their comming into the Thames. 



But least I should seeme unto you too studious in 

 confuting idle opinions, or answering frivolous questions, 

 I wil addresse me to the true report of those actions that 

 have passed therein : wherin I protest, I will neither hide 

 any thing that hath hapned against us, nor attribute more 

 to any man or matter, then the just occasions thereof lead 

 me unto : wherein it shall appeare that there hath bene 



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