re be the vttermost limite of the earth. For whereas Virgile had said to
Augustus Caesar, Tibi seruiat vltima Thule, alluding thereunto he
contradicteth the same, and saith, Nec sit terris vltima Thule. Yea
Tertullian, one of our most ancient and learned diuines, in the beginning
of his treatise de Pallio alludeth vnto Plato his Westerne Atlantis, which
there by another name he calleth Aeon, saying Aeon in Atlantico nunc
quaeritur. And in his 40. chapter de Apologetico he reporteth the same to be
bigger then all Africa and Asia.[2] Of this new world and euery speciall
part thereof in this my third volume I haue brought to light the best and
most perfect relations of such as were chiefe actours in the particular
discoueries and serches of the same, giuing vnto euery man his right, and
leauing euery one to mainteine his owne credit. The order obserued in this
worke is farre more exact, then heretofore I could attaine vnto: for
whereas in my two former volumes I was enforced for lacke of sufficient
store, in diuers places to vse the methode of time onely (which many worthy
authors on the like occasion are enforced vnto) being now more plentifully
furnished with matter, I alwayes follow the double order of time and place.
Wherefore proposing vnto my selfe the right situation of this New world, I
begin at the extreme Northerne limite, and put downe successiuely in one
ranke or classis, according to the order aforesaide, all such voyages as
haue bene made to the said part: which comming all together, and following
orderly one vpon another, doe much more lighten the readers vnderstanding,
and confirme his iudgment, then if they had bene scattered in sundry
corners of the worke. Which methode I obserue from the highest North to the
lowest South.[3] Now where any country hath bene but seldome hanted, or any
extraordinary or chiefe action occureth, if I finde one voyage well written
by two seuerall persons, sometimes I make no difficultie to set downe both
those iournals, as finding diuers things of good moment obserued in the
one, which are quite omitted in the other. For commonly a souldier
obserueth one thing, and a mariner another, and as your honour knoweth,
Plus vident oculi, quam oculus. But this course I take very seldome and
sparingly. And albeit my worke do cary the title of The English voyages,
aswell in regard that the greatest part are theirs, and that my trauaile
was chiefly vndertaken for preseruation of their memorabl