sailed along, doubled the Southern point of Africk, and at length arriued
at Gades? And what should I speake of the Spaniards? Was not diuine
[Footnote: In Timao] Plato (who liued so many ages ago and plainely
described their West Indies vnder the name of Atlantis) was not he (I say)
instead of a Cosmographer vnto them? Were not those Carthaginians mentioned
by Aristotle lib. [Footnote: [Greek: peri thaumasion akousmaton]] de
admirabil. auscult. their forerunners? And had they not Columbus to stirre
them vp and pricke them forward vnto their Westerne discoueries; yea to be
their chiefe loads man and Pilot? Sithens therefore these two worthy
Nations had those bright lampes of learning (I meane the most ancient and
best Philosophers, Historiographers and Geographers) to shewe them light;
and the load starre of experience (to wit those great exploits and voyages
layed vp in store and recorded) whereby to shape their course: what great
attempt might they not presume to vndertake? But alas our English nation,
at the first setting foorth for their Northeasterne discouery, were either
altogether destitute of such cleare lights and inducements or if they had
any inkling at all it was as misty as they found the Northren seas, and so
obscure and ambiguous, that it was meet rather to deterre them then to giue
them encouragement.

But besides the foresaid vncertaintie into what dangers and difficulties
they plunged themselues, Animus meminisse horret, I tremble to recount. For
first they were to expose themselues vnto the rigour of the sterne and
vncouth Northren seas, and to make triall of the swelling waues and
boistrous winds which there commonly do surge and blow: then were they to
saile by the ragged and perilous coast of Norway, to frequent the vnhaunted
shoares of Finmark, to double the dreadfull and misty North cape, to beare
with Willoughbres land, to run along within kenning of the Countreys of
Lapland and Corelia, and as it were to open and vnlocke the seuen-fold
mouth of Duina. Moreouer, in their Northeasterly Nauigations, vpon the seas