eas, in a day or a nighte, betwene Flaunders, Fraunce, or
Ireland, in small barkes of xx. or xxx'ti. tonnes; but wee are to passe
over the breste of the maine ocean, and to lye at sea a moneth or six
weekes together, whereby wee shall be constrayned of our selves, withoute
chardginge of the Prince, to builde greate shippes, as well to avoide the
daunger of tempest as also for the commoditie of portage, whereunto the
greater shippes in longe voyadges are moste conveniente, which the
Portingales and Spaniardes have founde oute by longe experience, whoe for
that cause builde shippes of v. vj. vij. viij. C. and a M. tonnes, to
sende into their Easterne and Westerne Indies.

The like whereof wee shalbe the rather invited to doe, since by this
voyadge wee shall have many thinges for little or nothinge, that are
necessarie for the furniture of greate shippinge. For beinge possessed of
Newfounde lande, which the last yere was seazed upon in her Majesties
name, wee may have tarr, rosen, mastes, and cordage for the very
workemanshippe of the same. All which comodities cannot choose but
wonderfully invite our men to the buildinge of greate shippinge,
especially havinge store of the best shipwrights of the worlde, whereof
some, for wante of employmente at home, have bene driven to flye into
forren partes, as into Demarke. Moreover, in the judgemente of those that
are experte in sea causes, yt will breed more skillfull, connynge, and
stowte pilott and maryners then other belonginge to this lande. For it is
the longe voyadges (so they be not to excessive longe, nor throughe
intemperate clymates, as those of the Portingales into their West Indies)
that harden seamen, and open unto them the secretes of navigation; the
nature of the windes; the currentes and settinge of the sea; the ebbinge
and flowinge of the mayne ocean; the influence of the sonne, the moone,
and of the rest of the celestiall planetts, and force which they have at
sondry seasons upon that mightie body; whiche skill in sea causes the
Emperour Charles the Fyfte, knowinge howe mooche yt did (M244) ymporte his
state, to the intent that it mighte better encrease amongest the
Spaniardes, in great providence erected a lecture of the arte of
navigation in Civill, and ordeyned that no man shoulde take chardge to the
West Indies that had not hearde the Reader of the same for a certaine
space, and, upon due examynation, were allowed as sufficient by him, and
others adjoyded unto