Otherwise, If His
Motives Be Derived From A Virtuous And Heroical Mind, Preferring
Chiefly The Honour Of God, Compassion Of
Poor infidels captived by the
devil, tyrannizing in most wonderful and dreadful manner over their
bodies and souls; advancement of
His honest and well-disposed
countrymen, willing to accompany him in such honourable actions;
relief of sundry people within this realm distressed; all these be
honourable purposes, imitating the nature of the munificent God,
wherewith He is well pleased, who will assist such an actor beyond
expectation of many. And the same, who feeleth this inclination in
himself, by all likelihood may hope or rather confidently repose in
the preordinance of God, that in this last age of the world (or likely
never) the time is complete of receiving also these gentiles into His
mercy, and that God will raise Him an instrument to effect the same;
it seeming probable by event of precedent attempts made by the
Spaniards and French sundry times, that the countries lying north of
Florida God hath reserved the same to be reduced into Christian
civility by the English nation. For not long after that Christopher
Columbus had discovered the islands and continent of the West Indies
for Spain, John and Sebastian Cabot made discovery also of the rest
from Florida northwards to the behoof of England.
And whensoever afterwards the Spaniards, very prosperous in all their
southern discoveries, did attempt anything into Florida and those
regions inclining towards the north, they proved most unhappy, and
were at length discouraged utterly by the hard and lamentable success
of many both religious and valiant in arms, endeavouring to bring
those northerly regions also under the Spanish jurisdiction, as if God
had prescribed limits unto the Spanish nation which they might not
exceed; as by their own gests recorded may be aptly gathered.
The French, as they can pretend less title unto these northern parts
than the Spaniard, by how much the Spaniard made the first discovery
of the same continent so far northward as unto Florida, and the French
did but review that before discovered by the English nation, usurping
upon our right, and imposing names upon countries, rivers, bays,
capes, or headlands as if they had been the first finders of those
coasts; which injury we offered not unto the Spaniards, but left off
to discover when we approached the Spanish limits; even so God hath
not hitherto permitted them to establish a possession permanent upon
another's right, notwithstanding their manifold attempts, in which the
issue hath been no less tragical than that of the Spaniards, as by
their own reports is extant.
Then, seeing the English nation only hath right unto these countries
of America from the Cape of Florida northward by the privilege of
first discovery, unto which Cabot was authorised by regal authority,
and set forth by the expense of our late famous King Henry the
Seventh; which right also seemeth strongly defended on our behalf by
the powerful hand of Almighty God withstanding the enterprises of
other nations; it may greatly encourage us upon so just ground, as is
our right, and upon so sacred an intent, as to plant religion (our
right and intent being meet foundations for the same), to prosecute
effectually the full possession of those so ample and pleasant
countries appertaining unto the crown of England; the same, as is to
be conjectured by infallible arguments of the world's end approaching,
being now arrived unto the time of God prescribed of their vocation,
if ever their calling unto the knowledge of God may be expected. Which
also is very probable by the revolution and course of God's word and
religion, which from the beginning hath moved from the east towards,
and at last unto, the west, where it is like to end, unless the same
begin again where it did in the east, which were to expect a like
world again. But we are assured of the contrary by the prophecy of
Christ, whereby we gather that after His word preached throughout the
world shall be the end. And as the Gospel when it descended westward
began in the south, and afterward begun in the south countries of
America, no less hope may be gathered that it will also spread into
the north.
These considerations may help to suppress all dreads rising of hard
events in attempts made this way by other nations, as also of the
heavy success and issue in the late enterprise made by a worthy
gentleman our countryman, Sir Humfrey Gilbert, Knight, who was the
first of our nations that carried people to erect an habitation and
government in those northerly countries of America. About which albeit
he had consumed much substance, and lost his life at last, his people
also perishing for the most part: yet the mystery thereof we must
leave unto God, and judge charitably both of the cause, which was just
in all pretence, and of the person, who was very zealous in
prosecuting the same, deserving honourable remembrance for his good
mind and expense of life in so virtuous an enterprise. Whereby
nevertheless, lest any man should be dismayed by example of other
folks' calamity, and misdeem that God doth resist all attempts
intended that way, I thought good, so far as myself was an eye-
witness, to deliver the circumstance and manner of our proceedings in
that action; in which the gentleman was so unfortunately encumbered
with wants, and worse matched with many ill-disposed people, that his
rare judgment and regiment premeditated for those affairs was
subjected to tolerate abuses, and in sundry extremities to hold on a
course more to uphold credit than likely in his own conceit happily to
succeed.
The issue of such actions, being always miserable, not guided by God,
who abhorreth confusion and disorder, hath left this for admonition,
being the first attempt by our nation to plant, unto such as shall
take the same cause in hand hereafter, not to be discouraged from it;
but to make men well advised how they handle His so high and excellent
matters, as the carriage is of His word into those very mighty and
vast countries.
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