TO THE READER. 
their wits & induftries in this behalfto 
the fingular benefit of our later times, 
wherein there haue beene moft excel¬ 
lent and exquifite followers of them, 
as CMumUrSy Mercators, Theuets, Belo- 
mes y Ortehes, VilUmonts , & many moe, 
that by the light and good meanes of 
thofe their Predeceflors, haue run be- 
yonde them many degrees, and difeo- 
uered fuch New worlds as were neuer 
knowne to our Fathers & Forefather s 5 
and therefore doodeferue the greater 
commendation. No doubt, it is very 
troublefome and laborious to iourney 
by land for the attaining to this know¬ 
ledge: but to trauell by Sea, is not one- 
ly moft dangerous, but alfo in a maner 
almoft a defperate eftate, confidering 
efpecially the great perils wherevnto it 
is hourely fubie<ft, as namely, Rockes, 
Flats,Sandes,Gulphes,S tormes, Tempefis, 
befides the continuall Watching and 
care in obleruing the Poles Arttike, and 
x^Antarchkey the Mquinocliall Line , the 
Altitude and Degrees of the c Meridian, 
the Circle of the Zodiake , th t Horizon, 
the Tropikes , the Longitude and Latitude 
ofHeauen and earth,the Par alleles, the 
Hemijphere, the Zenith jht Centre,and a 
Rablement of fuch curiofities,that are 
able to breake the braines of the foun - 
deft man aliue.To thefe if you will add 
the intolerable paines,and infinite dif- 
eafesthat doofpend their bodies ,you 
m uft needs fay, that they are the moft 
miferable Creatures of the worlde : So 
thatyou cannot choofe but bee of the 
opinion of u Anacharfis that Noble 
PKilofopher,who becingdemaunded 
whether N umber was the greater,that 
of the dead or that ofthe Liuing, did 
redemaund againe , In which Humber 
do you recken thofe that trauell on the Seat 
Signifiyng thereby,that fuch as trauell 
vpon the Sea are in fo great danger of 
death, that they doo continually dye 
liuing, and liue dying. And therefore 
well fayd Bias ( one of the feuen Sages) 
that Saylers vppon the Sea were alwayes 
within two ynches of their death : & true if 
is,which the Latyn Lyrike Poet writeth, 
That Man had a Hart ofoke,and was fen¬ 
ced with a triple Corflet of Sraffe , that firft 
aduentared to commit a fender Boat to the 
raging Sea . A Type and Patterne of 
all which miferies, together with the 
cunningand skilfull Art of navigation, 
is comprifed in this Folume which Wee 
haue in hand, being a moft perfed de¬ 
scription of the Eafl and Weft Indies > or 
( as they are commonly called ) the 
Portugall and SpanifhIndies: A Worke 
affuredly very profitable ; and commo¬ 
dious for all fuch as are ddirous & cu¬ 
rious louers of Nou el ties. 
Of thefe indies, though notin di- 
ftinguifhed tearmesof Eafi and Weft, 
fundry Hifloriographers and Authors of 
the o\dWorldhaue midean honour 
ble Mention>& left an exceeding com¬ 
mendation thereofjfor the Wonderfull 
and rare matters, that were difeouered 
by the feuerall Traueis & Nauigation 
ofdiuers famous Captains: as namely, 
Alexander the great,Seleucus,Antiochus, 
Patrocles,and OneficrituSyWho had beea 
all in the faide Indies , infomuch as one 
of them held them to be the Third part 
of all the Land that is inhabited, in re¬ 
gard of the great Prouinces , puifiaht Ci¬ 
ties , and vnmeafurable ilands that are 
found therein •• all very fruitfnll, and 
yeeldingfueh treafure and rich Mer¬ 
chandize, asnone other place of the 
whole world can afford. And althogh 
the curiofity and labour of thefe aun- 
cients was very great, yet greater hath 
beene the trauell and induftry ofthofe 
which oflate time, and in outage hath 
beene imployed therein. For the aun- 
cient Trauellers had in deedea certain 
kind ofknowledge ofthis Countrey and 
People $ butit was very vneerraine and 
vnperfed : Whereas we in our times 
are thoroughly learned and inftru&ed 
by our owne experience,! n the Prcuin- 
ceSy C itieSyRitiers, Hauens and Trafftcks of 
them all: So that nowe it is become 
knowne to the whole world. Firft the 
Portingalls (being great Merchants by 
reafbn oftheir skil m Nauigation, which 
in our dayes is growne to a more full 
perfe&ion, then euer it hath beene in 
times paft.-J they I fay firft difeouered 
A £ the 
