And here by the way most humbly crauing pardon, and alwayes submitting my
poore opinion to your Lordships most deep and percing insight, especially
in this matter, as being the father and principall fauourer of the English
Nauigation, I trust it shall not be impertinent in passing by, to point at
the meanes of breeding vp of skilfull Sea-men and Mariners in this Realms.
Sithence your Lordship is not ignorant, that ships are to litle purpose
without skilfull Sea-men; and since Sea-men are not bred vp to perfection
of skill in much lesse time (as it is said) then in the time of two
prentiships; and since no kinde of men of any profession in the common
wealth passe their yeres in so great and continuall hazard of life; and
since of so many, so few grow to gray heires: how needfull it is, that by
way of Lectures and such like instructions, these ought to haue a better
education, then hitherto they haue had; all wise men may easily iudge. When
I call to minde, how many noble ships haue been lost, how many worthy
persons haue bene drenched in the sea, and how greatly this Realme hath
bene impouerished by losse of great Ordinance and other rich commodities
through the ignorance of our Sea-men, I haue greatly wished there were a
Lecture of Nauigation read in this Citie, for the banishing of our former
grosse ignorance in Marine causes, and for the increase and generall
multiplying of the sea-knowledge in this age, wherein God hath raised so
generall a desire in the youth of this Realme to discouer all parts of the
face of the earth, to this Realme in former ages not knowen. And, that it
may appeare that this is no vaine fancie nor deuise of mine, it may please
your Lordship to vnderstand, that the late Emperour Charles the fift,
considering the rawnesse of his Sea-men, and the manifolde shipwracks which
they susteyned in passing and repassing betweene Spaine and the West
Indies, with an high reach and great foresight, established not onely a
Pilote Maior, for the examination of such as sought to take charge of ships
in that voyage, but also founded a notable Lecture of the Art of