1. By the north-east, if your winds do not give you a marvellous
speedy and lucky passage, you are in danger (of being so near the
Pole) to be benighted almost the one half of the year, and what
danger that were, to live so long comfortless, void of light (if the
cold killed you not), each man of reason or understanding may judge.
2. Also Mangia, Quinzai, and the Moluccas, are nearer unto us by
the north-west than by the north-east more than two-fifths, which is
almost by the half.
3. Also we may have by the rest a yearly return, it being at all
times navigable, whereas you have but four months in the whole year
to go by the north-east, the passage being at such elevation as it
is formerly expressed, for it cannot be any nearer the south.
4. Furthermore, it cannot be finished without divers winterings by
the way, having no havens in any temperate climate to harbour in
there, for it is as much as we can well sail from hence to S.
Nicholas, in the trade of Muscovy, and return in the navigable
season of the year, and from S. Nicholas, Ciremissi, Tartarii, which
standeth 80 degrees of the septentrional latitude, it is at the left
400 leagues, which amounteth scarce to the third part of the way, to
the end of your voyage by the north-east.
5. And yet, after you have doubled this Cape, if then there might
be found a navigable sea to carry you south-east according to your
desire, yet can you not winter conveniently until you come to sixty
degrees and to take up one degree running south-east you must sail
twenty-four leagues and three four parts, which amounteth to four
hundred and ninety-five leagues.
6. Furthermore, you may by the north-west sail thither, with all
easterly winds, and return with any westerly winds, whereas you must
have by the north-east sundry winds, and those proper, according to
the lie of the coast and capes, you shall be enforced to double,
which winds are not always to be had when they are looked for;
whereby your journey should be greatly prolonged, and hardly endured
so near the Pole, as we are taught by Sir Hugh Willoughbie, who was
frozen to death far nearer the south.
7. Moreover, it is very doubtful whether we should long enjoy that
trade by the north-east if there were any such passage that way, the
commodities thereof once known to the Muscovite, what privilege
soever he hath granted, seeing pollice with the maze of excessive
gain, to the enriching of himself and all his dominions, would
persuade him to presume the same, having so great opportunity, to
distribute the commodities of those countries by the Naruc.
But by the north-west we may safely trade without danger or
annoyance of any prince living, Christian or heathen, it being out
of all their trades.
8. Also the Queen's Majesty's dominions are nearer the North-West
Passage than any other great princes that might pass that way, and
both in their going and return they must of necessity succour
themselves and their ships upon some part of the same if any
tempestuous weather should happen.
Further, no prince's navy of the world is able to encounter the
Queen's Majesty's navy as it is at this present; and yet it should
be greatly increased by the traffic ensuing upon this discovery, for
it is the long voyages that increase and maintain great shipping.
Now it seemeth unnecessary to declare what commodities would grow
thereby if all these things were as we have heretofore presupposed
and thought them to be; which next adjoining are briefly declared.
CHAPTER X. - WHAT COMMODITIES WOULD ENSUE, THIS PASSAGE ONCE
DISCOVERED.
1. It were the only way for our princes to possess the wealth of
all the east parts (as they term them) of the world, which is
infinite; as appeareth by the experience of Alexander the Great in
the time of his conquest of India and the east parts of the world,
alleged by Quintus Curtius, which would be a great advancement to
our country, wonderful enriching to our prince, and unspeakable
commodities to all the inhabitants of Europe.
2. For, through the shortness of the voyage, we should be able to
sell all manner of merchandise brought from thence far better cheap
than either the Portuguese or Spaniard doth or may do. And,
further, share with the Portuguese in the east and the Spaniard in
the west by trading to any part of America through Mare del Sur,
where they can no manner of way offend us.
3. Also we sailed to divers marvellous rich countries, both civil
and others, out of both their jurisdictions, trades and traffics,
where there is to be found great abundance of gold, silver, precious
stones, cloth of gold, silks, all manner of spices, grocery wares,
and other kinds of merchandise of an inestimable price, which both
the Spaniard and Portuguese, through the length of their journeys,
cannot well attain unto.
4. Also, we might inhabit some part of those countries, and settle
there such needy people of our country which now trouble the
commonwealth, and through want here at home are enforced to commit
outrageous offences, whereby they are daily consumed with the
gallows.
5. Moreover, we might from all the aforesaid places have a yearly
return, inhabiting for our staple some convenient place of America,
about Sierra Nevada or some other part, whereas it shall seem best
for the shortening of the voyage.
6. Beside the exporting of our country commodities, which the
Indians, etc., much esteem, as appeareth in Esther, where the pomp
is expressed of the great King of India, Ahasuerus, who matched the
coloured clothes wherewith his houses and tents were apparelled with
gold and silver, as part of his greatest treasure, not mentioning
velvets, silks, cloth of gold, cloth of silver, or such like, being
in those countries most plentiful, whereby it plainly appeareth in
what great estimation they would have the cloths of this our
country, so that there would be found a far better vent for them by
this means than yet this realm ever had; and that without depending
either upon France, Spain, Flanders, Portugal, Hamborough, Emden, or
any other part of Europe.
