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
To those who haue any forward mindes in well doing to the generalitie of
mankind, I say thus much more, that Christian charitie doth as greatly
perswade the furtherance of this action, as any other that may be layed
before vs, in as much as thereby wee shall not onely doe a most excellent
worke, in respect of reducing the sauage people to Christianitie and
ciuilitie, but also in respect of our poore sorte of people, which are
very many amongst vs, liuing altogether vnprofitable, and often times to
the great disquiet of the better sort. For who knoweth not, how by the
long peace, happie health, and blessed plentifulnesse, wherewith God hath
endued this Realme, that the people is so mightily encreased, as a great
number being brought vp, during their youth in their parents houses,
without any instruction how to get their liuings after their parents
decease, are driuen to some necessitie, whereby very often for want of
better education they fall into such disorders, and so the good sort of
people, as I sayde before, are by them ordinarily troubled, and themselues
led on to one shamefull ende or other, whereas if there might bee found
some such kinde of imployment as this would be, no doubt but a greater
part of them would be withheld from falling into such vile deedes: and
insteade thereof, prooue greatly seruiceable in those affaires, where they
might be so imployed.
(M40) This I speake of mine owne experience, hauing seene diuers come ouer
to the warres of the lowe Countreys during my residence in the same, who
here had bene very euill and idle liuers, and by some little continuance
with vs, haue growen to be very industrious in their facultie, which I can
assure you, was a more painefull maner of liuing then in this action is
like to fall out, and withall to a purpose of farre lesse value, in
respect of their particular recompence, then with an assured kind of good
hope is looked for in this.
Thus you see in euery point that may bee wished for in a good action and
voyage, there is matter and reason enough to satisfie the well disposed.
But nowe to growe somewhat neerer the quicke, and to shewe you some
greater appearance, then hath bene yet spoken of touching the trade which
is the onely subiect wherewith I doe meane to intermeddle at this time,
because my addresse hereby is chiefly to men of such like facultie: you
may vnderstande by that which followeth, the circumstance of a little
discourse, which doeth concerne these matters, very directly.
In the yeere 1534. Iames Carthier, of S. Malo made his first discouerie of
those partes of America, which lie to the Westwardes, and as it were on
the backside of Newfoundland. In which voyage his principall intention was
to seeke out the passage, which hee presumes might haue bene found out
into the East Indian Sea, otherwise called the passage to Cathaya, but
this yeere he went no higher then the Island of the Assumption in the
great bay of S. Laurence, and so returned backe into France.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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