The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 13: America, Part IIHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 13: America, Part II
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
Nowe if wee (being thereto provoked by Spanishe injuries) woulde either
joyne with these savages, or sende or give them armor, as the Spaniardes
arme our Irishe rebells, wee shoulde trouble the Kinge of Spaine more in
those partes, then he hath or can trouble us in Ireland, and holde him at
suche a bay as he was never yet helde at. For if (as the aforesaide Miles
Phillipps writeth) yt be true, that one negro which fledd from his cruel
Spanishe master is receaved and made capitaine of multitudes of the
Chichimici, and daily dothe grevously afflicte them, and hath almoste
enforced them to leave and abandon their silver mynes in those quarters,
what domage mighte divers hundreds of Englishe men doe them, being growen
once into familiaritie with that valiaunte nation.
And this is the greatest feare that the Spaniardes have, to witt, our
plantinge in those partes and joyning with those savages, their
neighbours, in Florida, and on the northe side of Nova Hispania. Which
thinge an Englishe gentleman, Capitaine Muffett, whoe is nowe in Fraunce,
tolde divers tymes this laste winter in my hearinge and others of credite,
namely, that when he was in Spaine, prisoner, not longe since, he hearde
the threasurer of the West Indies say, that there was no suche way to
hinder his master, as to plante upon the coaste nere unto Florida, from
whence by greate ryvers any man mighte easely passe farre upp into the
lande, and joyne with his enemyes, whereof he stoode in contynuall feare;
and said moreover, that that was the occasion why suche crueltie was used
towardes John Ribaulte and his companie upon his seekinge to settle there.
(M236) Fynally, if wee liste not to come so nere Florida, this is a matter
of no small momente, that if we fortifie ourselves about Cape Briton, nere
Newfounde land, partely by the strengthe of our fortification, and partely
by the aide of our navye of fishermen, which are already comaunders of
others there, havinge our double forces thus joyned together, wee shalbe
able upon every sooden to cease upon one or twoo hundreth Spanishe and
Portingale shipps, which for tenne weekes or three monethes ate there on
fisshinge every yere. This I say will be suche a bridle to him and suche
an advantage vnto us, as wee cannot possibly ymagine a greater. And thus
the Frenche served them in the time of Mounsieurs being in Flaunders,
caryenge awaye oute of some harborowes three or foure Spanishe and
Portingale shippes at ones; and more they woulde have taken, if our
Englishmen, and, namely, one of myne acquaintaunce of Ratclife, had not
defended them. And hither of necessitie they must yerely repaire, beinge
not able to make their provision for land and sea of fishe in any place
els, excepte on the coaste of Ireland, and at Cape Blancke in Africa,
which twoo are nothinge worth in comparison to this thirde place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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