t the
aforesaid eastern current, or Levant course of waters, continually
following after the heavenly motions, loseth not altogether its force,
but is doubled rather by another current from out the north-east, in the
passage between America and the North Land, whither it is of necessity
carried, having none other way to maintain itself in circular motion, and
consequently the force and fury thereof to be no less in the Strait of
Anian, where it striketh south into Mare del Sur beyond America (if any
such strait of sea there be), than in the strait of Magellan, both
straits being of like breadth, as in Belognine Salterius' table of "New
France," and in Don Diego Hermano de Toledo's card for navigation in that
region, we do find precisely set down.

Nevertheless, to approve that there lieth a way to Cathay at the
north-west from out of Europe, we have experience, namely of three
brethren that went that journey, as Gemma Frisius recordeth, and left a
name unto that strait, whereby now it is called Fretum Trium Fratrum. We
do read again of a Portuguese that passed this strait, of whom Master
Frobisher speaketh, that was imprisoned therefore many years in Lisbon,
to verify the old Spanish proverb, "I suffer for doing well." Likewise,
An. Urdaneta, a friar of Mexico, came out of Mare del Sur this way into
Germany; his card, for he was a great discoverer, made by his own
experience and travel in that voyage, hath been seen by gentlemen of good
credit.

Now if the observation and remembrance of things breedeth experience, and
of experience proceedeth art, and the certain knowledge we have in all
faculties, as the best philosophers that ever were do affirm truly the
voyage of these aforesaid travellers that have gone out of Europe into
Mare del Sur, and returned thence at the north-west, do most evidently
conclude that way to be navigable, and that passage free; so much the
more we are so to think, for that the first principle and chief ground in
all geography, as Ptolemy saith, is the history of travel, that is,
reports made by travellers skilful in geography and astronomy, of all
such things in their journey as to geography do belong. It only
remaineth, that we now answer to those arguments that seemed to make
against this former conclusion.

The first objection is of no force, that general table of the world, set
forth by Ortellius or Mercator, for it greatly skilleth not, being
unskilfully drawn for that point, as mani