riche comodities, and understoode of the greate
preparation, and lieth nowe at London, in Philpott lane, at the stone
house there.

And that it may be knowen that not onely the Frenche affecte this
enterprise, but even the Duche longe since thoughte of yt, I can assure
you that Abraham Ortelius, the great geographer, told me, at his laste
beinge in England, 1577. that if the warres of Flaunders had not bene,
they of the Lowe Contries had meant to have discovered those partes of
America, and the north west straite, before this tyme. And yt semed that
the chefe cause of his comynge to England was to no other ende, but to
prye and looke into the secretes of Ffrobishers voyadge; for yt was even
then, when Ffrobisher was preparinge for his first returne into the north
west.

To conclude: yf wee doe procrastinate the plantinge (and where our men
have nowe presently discovered, and founde it to be the best parte of
America that is lefte, and in truthe more agreable to our natures, and
more nere unto us, than Nova Hispania), the Frenche, the Normans, the
Brytons, or the Duche, or some other nation, will not onely prevente us of
the mightie Baye of St. Lawrence, where they have gotten the starte of us
already, thoughe wee had the same revealed to us by bookes published and
printed in Englishe before them,(77) but also will depriue us of that
goodd lande which nowe wee have discovered. Which if they doe (as God
defende they shoulde), then it falleth oute that wee shall have our
enemyes or doubtfull frendes rounde aboute us, and shall not onely loose a
singular comoditie and inestymable benefite, but also incurr greate
daunger and inconvenience in sufferinge Papistes, by plantinge rounde
aboute us, to take from us all succours, and to lett them enriche
themselves under our noses, to be better able to supplant or overronne us.

Chap. XVI. Meanes to kepe this enterprise from overthrowe, and the
enterprisers from shame and dishonour.

Euery newe enterprise is in the begynnyinge burdenous, chardgeable, and
heavie, and moste comonly hath many greate enemies; which is the cause
that many goodd men, much affected to their contrie in wittie excellent
enterprises, sincke and fainte under their burden. And because that this
enterprise which wee have in hande or in purpose (besides that it is much
maliced, specially by our mightie faction of the Papistes), is an
enterprize that requireth, beside the favour of the Prince, no small