that (as afore is sayd) if between our Newe found lands, or Norway, or Island, the seas towards the north be navigable, we should goe to these Islands a shorter way by more than 2000 leagues.
Note.
Benefite to England.
And though we went not to the sayd Islandes, for that they
are the Emperours or kings of Portingal, wee shoulde by the
waye and comming once to the line Equinoctiall, finde landes
no lesse riche of golde and Spicerie, as all other landes are under
the sayd line Equinoctiall: and also should, if we may pass
under the North, enjoy the navigation of all Tartarie. Which
should be no lesse profitable to our commodities of cloth than
these Spiceries to the Emperour, and king of Portingal.
Objection. But it is a generall opinion of all Cosmographers, that passing the seventh clime, the sea is all ice, and the colde so much than none can suffer it. And hitherto they had all the like opinion, that under the line Equinoctiall for much heate, the land was unhabitable.
Answere.
A true opinion.
A voyage of discovery by the Pole.
M. Thorne and M. Eliot discoverers of New found land.
The cause why the West Indies were not ours; which also Sebastian Gabot writeth in an Epistle to Baptista Ramusius.
Yet since (by experience is proved) no lande so much habitable
nor more temperate. And to conclude, I thinke the same should
be found under the North, if it were experimented. For as all
judge, nihil fit vacuum in rerum natura. So I judge there is no
land unhabitable, nor sea innavigable. If I should write the
reason that presenteth this unto me, I should be too prolixe,
and it seemeth not requisite for this present matter. God
knoweth that though by it I should have no great interest, yet I
have had and still have no little mind of this businesse: so that
if I had facultie to my will, it should be the first thing that I
woulde understand, even to attempt, if our seas northward be
navigable to the Pole, or no. I reason, that as some sicknesses
are hereditarious, and come from the father to the sonne, so this
inclination or desire of this discoverie I inherited of my father,
which with another marchant of Bristow named Hugh Eliot, were
the discoverers the New found lands, of the which there is no
doubt (as nowe plainely appeareth), if the mariners would then
have bene ruled, and followed their pilots minde, the lands of the
West Indies (from whence all the gold commeth) had bene ours,
For all is one coast, as by the Carde appeareth, and is aforesayd.
Also in this Carde by the Coastes where you see C. your Lordship shall understand it is set for Cape or headland, where I. for Iland, where P. for Port, where R. for River. Also in all this little Carde, I think nothing be erred touching the situation of the land, save only in these Ilands of Spicerie; which for that
