Also the Englishmen made another Voyage very prosperous and gainefull, An.
1554. to the coasts of Guinea, within 3. degrees of the Equinoctiall. And
yet it is reported of a trueth, that all the tract from Cape de las Palmas
trending by C. de tres puntas alongst by Benin, vnto the Ile of S. Thomas
(which is perpendiculer under the Equinoctial)[58] all that whole Bay is
more subiect to many blooming and smoothering heates, with infectious and
contagious ayres, then any other place in all Torrida Zona: and the cause
thereof is some accidents in the land. For it is most certaine, that
mountains, Seas, woods and lakes, &c, may cause through their sundry kinde
of situation, sundry strange and extraordinary effects, which the reason of
the clyme otherwise would not giue. I mention these Voyages of our
Englishmen, not so much to prooue that Torrida Zona may bee, and is
inhabited, as to shew their readinesse in attempting long and dangerous
Nauigations. Wee also among vs in England, haue blacke Moores, Æthiopians,
out of all partes of Torrida Zona, which after a small continuance, can
well endure the colde of our Countrey, and why should not we as well abide
the heate of their Countrey? But what should I name any more experiences,
seeing that all the coastes of Guinea and Benin are inhabited of Portugals,
Spanyardes, French, and some Englishmen, who there haue built Castles and
Townes. [Sidenote: Marochus more hote then about the Equinoctiall.] Onely
this I will say to the Merchants of London, that trade yeerely to Marochus,
it is very certaine, that the greatest part of the burning Zone is farre
more temperate and coole in Iune, then the Countrey of Marochus, as shall
appeare by these reasons and experiences following. For let vs first
consider the bignesse of this burning Zone (which as euery man knoweth, is
47. degrees) each Tropicke, which are the bounders thereof, being 28.
degrees and a halfe distant from the Equinoctiall. Imagine againe two other
Parallels, on each side the Equinoctiall about 20. degrees, which Paralels
may be described either of them twice a yeere by the Sunne, being in the
first degrees of Gemini the 11. of May, and in Leo the 13. of Iuly, hauing