The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation, vol. 12 | Page 2

worlds, and that the yle of Thule would no more be the vttermost
limite of the earth. For whereas Virgile had said to Augustus Caesar,
Tibi seruiat vltima Thule, alluding thereunto he contradicteth the same,
and saith, Nec sit terris vltima Thule. Yea Tertullian, one of our most
ancient and learned diuines, in the beginning of his treatise de Pallio
alludeth vnto Plato his Westerne Atlantis, which there by another name
he calleth Aeon, saying Aeon in Atlantico nunc quæritur. And in his 40.
chapter de Apologetico he reporteth the same to be bigger then all
Africa and Asia.[2] Of this new world and euery speciall part thereof in
this my third volume I haue brought to light the best and most perfect
relations of such as were chiefe actours in the particular discoueries and
serches of the same, giuing vnto euery man his right, and leauing euery
one to mainteine his owne credit. The order obserued in this worke is
farre more exact, then heretofore I could attaine vnto: for whereas in
my two former volumes I was enforced for lacke of sufficient store, in
diuers places to vse the methode of time onely (which many worthy
authors on the like occasion are enforced vnto) being now more
plentifully furnished with matter, I alwayes follow the double order of
time and place. Wherefore proposing vnto my selfe the right situation
of this New world, I begin at the extreme Northerne limite, and put
downe successiuely in one ranke or classis, according to the order
aforesaide, all such voyages as haue bene made to the said part: which
comming all together, and following orderly one vpon another, doe
much more lighten the readers vnderstanding, and confirme his
iudgment, then if they had bene scattered in sundry corners of the
worke. Which methode I obserue from the highest North to the lowest
South.[3] Now where any country hath bene but seldome hanted, or any
extraordinary or chiefe action occureth, if I finde one voyage well
written by two seuerall persons, sometimes I make no difficultie to set
downe both those iournals, as finding diuers things of good moment
obserued in the one, which are quite omitted in the other. For
commonly a souldier obserueth one thing, and a mariner another, and
as your honour knoweth, Plus vident oculi, quàm oculus. But this

course I take very seldome and sparingly. And albeit my worke do cary
the title of The English voyages, aswell in regard that the greatest part
are theirs, and that my trauaile was chiefly vndertaken for preseruation
of their memorable actions, yet where our owne mens experience is
defectiue, there I haue bene careful to supply the same with the best
and chiefest relations of strangers. As in the discouery of the Grand
Bay, of the mighty riuer of S. Laurence, of the countries of Canada,
Hochelaga, and Saguenay, of Florida, and the Inland of Cibola, Tiguex,
Cicuic, and Quiuira, of The gulfe of California, and the North westerne
sea-coast to Cabo Mendoçino and Sierra Neuada: as also of the late and
rich discouery of 15. prouinces on the backside of Florida and Virginia,
the chiefest whereof is called the kingdome of New Mexico, for the
wealth, ciuil gouernment, and populousnesse of the same. Moreouer
because since our warres with Spaine, by the taking of their ships, and
sacking of their townes and cities, most of all their secrets of the West
Indies, and euery part thereof are fallen into our peoples hands (which
in former time were for the most part vnknowen vnto vs,) I haue vsed
the vttermost of my best endeuour, to get, and hauing gotten, to
translate out of Spanish, and here in this present volume to publish such
secrets of theirs, as may any way auaile vs or annoy them, if they driue
and vrge vs by their sullen insolencies, to continue our courses of
hostilitie against them, and shall cease to seeke a good and Christian
peace vpon indifferent and equal conditions. What these things be, and
of how great importance your honour in part may vnderstand, if it
please you to vouchsafe to reade the Catalogues conteyning the 14
principal heads of this worke. Whereby your honor may farther
perceiue that there is no chiefe riuer, no port, no towne, no citie, no
prouince of any reckoning in the West Indies, that hath not here some
good description thereof, aswell for the inland as the sea-coast. And for
the knowledge of the true breadth of the Sea betweene Noua Albion on
the Northwest part of America, and the yle of Iapan lying ouer against
the kingdomes of Coray and China, which vntil these foure yeeres was
neuer reueiled vnto vs, being a point of exceeding great consequence, I
haue here inserted the voyage