Of our companie that returned some for their misdemenour and ill dealing
in the countrey, haue beene there worthily punished; who by reason of
their badde natures, haue maliciously not onelie spoken ill of their
Gouernours; but for their sakes slaundered the countrie it selfe. The
like also haue those done which were of their confort.
Some beeing ignorant of the state thereof, nothwithstanding since their
returne amongest their friendes and acquaintance and also others,
especially if they were in companie where they might not be gainesaide;
woulde seeme to know so much as no men more; and make no men so great
trauailers as themselues. They stood so much as it maie seeme vppon
their credite and reputation that hauing been a twelue moneth in the
countrey, it woulde haue beene a great disgrace vnto them as they
thought, if they coulde not haue saide much wheter it were true or
false. Of which some haue spoken of more then euer they saw or otherwise
knew to bee there; othersome haue not bin ashamed to make absolute
deniall of that which although not by the, yet by others is most
certainely ad there pletifully knowne. And othersome make difficulties
of those things they haue no skill of.
The cause of their ignorance was, in that they were of that many that
were neuer out of the Iland where wee were seated, or not farre, or at
the leastwise in few places els, during the time of our aboade in the
countrey; or of that many that after golde and siluer was not so soone
found, as it was by them looked for, had little or no care of any other
thing but to pamper their bellies; or of that many which had little
vnderstanding, lesse discretion, and more tongue then was needfull or
requisite.
Some also were of a nice bringing vp, only in cities or townes, or such
as neuer (as I may say) had seene the world before. Because there were
not to bee found any English cities, norsuch faire houses, nor at their
owne wish any of their olde accustomed daintie food, nor any soft beds
of downe or fethers: the countrey was to them miserable, & their reports
thereof according.
Because my purpose was but in briefe to open the cause of the varietie
of such speeches; the particularities of them, and of many enuious,
malicious, and slauderous reports and deuises els, by our owne countrey
men besides; as trifles that are not worthy of wise men to bee thought
vpon, I meane not to trouble you withall: but will passe to the
commodities, the substance of that which I haue to make relation of vnto
you.
