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
5. And where England nowe for certen hundreth yeres last passed, by the
peculiar comoditie of wolles, and of later yeres by clothinge of the same,
hath raised it selfe from meaner state to greater wealthe and moche higher
honour, mighte, and power then before, to the equallinge of the princes of
the same to the greatest potentates of this parte of the worlde: it cometh
nowe so to passe, that by the greate endevour of the increase of the trade
of wolles in Spaine and in the West Indies, nowe daily more and more
multiplienge, that the wolles of England, and the clothe made of the same,
will become base, and every day more base then other; which, prudently
weyed, yt behoveth this realme, yf it meane not to returne to former olde
meanes and basenes, but to stande in present and late former honour,
glorye, and force, and not negligently and sleepingly to slyde into
beggery, to foresee and to plante at Norumbega or some like place, were it
not for any thing els but for the hope of the vent of our woll indraped,
the principall and in effecte the onely enrichinge contynueinge naturall
comoditie of this realme. And effectually pursueinge that course, wee
shall not onely finde on that tracte of lande, and especially in that
firme northwarde (to whome warme clothe shalbe righte wellcome), an ample
vente, but also shall, from the north side of that firme, finde oute
knowen and unknowen ilandes and domynions replenisbed with people that may
fully vent the aboundance of that our comoditie, that els will in fewe
yeres waxe of none or of small value by forreine aboundaunce, &c.; so as
by this enterprice wee shall shonne the ymmynent mischefe hanginge over
our heades, that els muste nedes fall upon the realme, without breache of
peace or sworde drawen againste this realme by any forreine state; and not
offer our auncient riches to scornefull neighboures at home, nor sell the
same in effecte for nothinge, as wee shall shortly, if presently it be not
provaided for. The increase of the wolles of Spaine and America is of
highe pollicie, with greate desire of our overthrowe, endevoured; and the
goodnes of the forren wolles our people will not enter into the
consideration of, nor will not beleve aughte, they be so sotted with
opinion of their owne; and, yf it be not foresene and some such place of
vent provided, farewell the goodd state of all degrees in this realme.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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