shipping, munition, victual, men, and things requisite,
some of them continued the charge two years complete without
intermission. Such were the difficulties and cross accidents opposing
these proceedings, which took not end in less than two years; many of
which circumstances I will omit.

The last place of our assembly, before we left the coast of England,
was in Cawset Bay, near unto Plymouth, then resolved to put unto the
sea with shipping and provision such as we had, before our store yet
remaining, but chiefly the time and season of the year, were too far
spent. Nevertheless, it seemed first very doubtful by what way to shape
our course, and to begin our intended discovery, either from the south
northward or from the north southward. The first, that is, beginning
south, without all controversy was the likeliest, wherein we were
assured to have commodity of the current which from the Cape of Florida
setteth northward, and would have furthered greatly our navigation,
discovering from the foresaid cape along towards Cape Breton, and all
those lands lying to the north. Also, the year being far spent, and
arrived to the month of June, we were not to spend time in northerly
courses, where we should be surprised with timely winter, but to covet
the south, which we had space enough then to have attained, and there
might with less detriment have wintered that season, being more mild
and short in the south than in the north, where winter is both long and
rigorous. These and other like reasons alleged in favour of the southern
course first to be taken, to the contrary was inferred that forasmuch as
both our victuals and many other needful provisions were diminished and
left insufficient for so long a voyage and for the wintering of so many
men, we ought to shape a course most likely to minister supply; and that
was to take the Newfoundland in our way, which was but 700 leagues from
our English coast. Where being usually at that time of the year, and
until the fine of August, a multitude of ships repairing thither for
fish, we should be relieved abundantly with many necessaries, which,
after the fishing ended, they might well spare and freely impart
unto us. Not staying long upon that Newland coast, we might proceed
southward, and follow still the sun, until we arrived at places more
temperate to our content.

By which reasons we were the rather induced to follow this northerly
course, obeying unto necessity, which must be su