THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE 



chiefe actours in the particular discoveries and serches of 

 the same, giving unto every man his right, and leaving 

 every one to mainteine his owne credit. The order 

 observed in this worke is farre more exact, then here- 

 tofore I could attaine unto : for whereas in my two former 

 volumes I was enforced for lacke of sufficient store, in 

 divers places to use the methode of time onely (which 

 many worthy authors on the like occasion are enforced 

 unto) being now more plentifully furnished with matter, 

 I alwayes follow the double order of time and place. 

 Wherefore proposing unto my selfe the right situation 

 of this New world, I begin at the extreme Northerne 

 limite, and put downe successively in one ranke or classis, 

 according to the order aforesaide, all such voyages as 

 have bene made to the said part : which comming all 

 together, and following orderly one upon another, doe 

 much more lighten the readers understanding, and con- 

 firme his judgement, then if they had bene scattered 

 in sundry corners of the worke. Which methode I 

 observe from the highest North to the lowest South. 

 Now where any country hath bene but seldome hanted, 

 or any extraordinary and chiefe action occurreth, if I 

 finde one voyage well written by two severall persons, 

 sometimes I make no difficultie to set downe both those 

 journals, as finding divers things of good moment observed 

 in the one, which are quite omitted in the other. For 

 commonly a souldier observeth one thing, and a mariner 

 another, and as your honour knoweth. Plus vident oculi, 

 quam oculus. But this course I take very seldome and 

 sparingly. And albeit my worke do carry the title of 

 The English voyages, aswell in regard that the greatest 

 part are theirs, and that my travaile was chiefly undertaken 

 for preservation of their memorable actions, yet where our 

 owne mens experience is defective, there I have bene care- 

 ful to supply the same with the best and chiefest relations 

 of strangers. As in the discovery of the Grand Bay, of the 

 mighty river of S. Laurence, of the countries of Canada, 

 Hochelaga, and Saguenay, of Florida, and the Inland 



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