TO LORD CHARLES HOWARD 



instructions, these ought to have a better education, then 

 hitherto they have had ; all wise men may easily judge. 

 When I call to minde, how many noble ships have bene 

 lost, how many worthy persons have bene drenched in the 

 sea, and how greatly this Realme hath bene impoverished 

 by losse of great Ordinance and other rich commodities 

 through the ignorance of our Sea-men, I have greatly 

 wished there were a Lecture of Navigation read in this 

 Citie, for the banishing of our former grosse ignorance in 

 Marine causes, and for the increase and generall multi- 

 plying of the sea-knowledge in this age, wherein God 

 hath raised so generall a desire in the youth of this 

 Realme to discover all parts of the face of the earth, to 

 this Realme in former ages not knowen. And, that it 

 may appeare that this is no vaine fancie nor devise of 

 mine, it may please your Lordship to understand, that the 

 late Emperour Charles the fift, considering the rawnesse 

 of his Sea-men, and the manifolde shipwracks which they 

 susteyned in passing and repassing betweene Spaine and 

 the West Indies, with an high reach and great foresight, 

 established not onely a Pilote Major, for the examination 

 of such as sought to take charge of ships in that voyage, 

 but also founded a notable Lecture of the Art of Naviga- 

 tion, which is read to this day in the Contractation house 

 at Sivil. The readers of which Lecture have not only 

 carefully taught and instructed the Spanish Mariners by 

 word of mouth, but also have published sundry exact and 

 worthy treatises concerning Marine causes, for the 

 direction and incouragement of posteritie. The learned 

 works of three of which readers, namely of Alonso de 

 Chavez, of Hieronymo de Chavez, and of Roderigo 

 Zamorano came long ago very happily to my hands, 

 together with the straight and severe examining of all 

 such Masters as desire to take charge for the West Indies. 

 Which when I first read and duely considered, it seemed 

 to mee so excellent and so exact a course, as I greatly 

 wished, that I might be so happy as to see the like order 

 established here with us. This matter, as it seemeth, 



