in all the French court, determined notwithstanding all difficulties, to
vndertake the burden of that worke wherin all others pretended either
ignorance, or lacke of leasure, or want of sufficient argument, whereas (to
speake truely) the huge toile, and the small profit to insue, were the
chiefe causes of the refusall. I call the worke a burden, in consideration
that these voyages lay so dispersed, scattered, and hidden in seuerall
hucksters hands, that I now woonder at my selfe, to see how I was able to
endure the delayes, curiosity, and backwardnesse of many from whom I was to
receiue my originals: so that I haue iust cause to make that complaint of
the maliciousnes of diuers in our time, which Plinie [Footnote: Plinius.
lib. 25. cap. 1. Naturalis historia.] made of the men of his age: At nos
elaborata ijs abscondere atque supprimere cupimus, & fraudare vitam etiam
alienis bonis, &c.

To harpe no longer vpon this string, & to speake a word of that iust
commendation which our nation doe indeed deserue: it can not be denied, but
as in all former ages, they haue bene men full of actiuity, stirrers
abroad, and searchers of the remote parts of the world, so in this most
famous and peerlesse gouernement of her most excellent Maiesty, her
subiects through the speciall assistance, and blessing of God, in searching
the most opposite corners and quarters of the world, and to speake plainly,
in compassing the vaste globe of the earth more then once, haue excelled
all the nations and people of the earth. For, which of the kings of this
land before her Maiesty, had theyr banners euer beene in the Caspian sea?
which of them hath euer dealt with the Emperor of Persia, as her Maiesty
hath done, and obteined for her merchants large & louing; priuileges? who
euer saw before this regiment, an English Ligier in the stately porch of
the Grand Signor at Constantinople? who euer found English Consuls & Agents
at Tripolis in Syria, at Aleppo, at Babylon, at Balsara, and which is more,
who euer heard of Englishman at Goa before now? what English shippes did