e actions, yet
where our owne mens experience is defectiue, there I haue bene careful to
supply the same with the best and chiefest relations of strangers. As in
the discouery of the Grand Bay, of the mighty riuer of S. Laurence, of the
countries of Canada, Hochelaga, and Saguenay, of Florida, and the Inland of
Cibola, Tiguex, Cicuic, and Quiuira, of The gulfe of California, and the
North westerne sea-coast to Cabo Mendocino and Sierra Neuada: as also of
the late and rich discouery of 15. prouinces on the backside of Florida and
Virginia, the chiefest whereof is called the kingdome of New Mexico, for
the wealth, ciuil gouernment, and populousnesse of the same. Moreouer
because since our warres with Spaine, by the taking of their ships, and
sacking of their townes and cities, most of all their secrets of the West
Indies, and euery part thereof are fallen into our peoples hands (which in
former time were for the most part vnknowen vnto vs,) I haue vsed the
vttermost of my best endeuour, to get, and hauing gotten, to translate out
of Spanish, and here in this present volume to publish such secrets of
theirs, as may any way auaile vs or annoy them, if they driue and vrge vs
by their sullen insolencies, to continue our courses of hostilitie against
them, and shall cease to seeke a good and Christian peace vpon indifferent
and equal conditions. What these things be, and of how great importance
your honour in part may vnderstand, if it please you to vouchsafe to reade
the Catalogues conteyning the 14 principal heads of this worke. Whereby
your honor may farther perceiue that there is no chiefe riuer, no port, no
towne, no citie, no prouince of any reckoning in the West Indies, that hath
not here some good description thereof, aswell for the inland as the
sea-coast. And for the knowledge of the true breadth of the Sea betweene
Noua Albion on the Northwest part of America, and the yle of Iapan lying
ouer against the kingdomes of Coray and China, which vntil these foure
yeeres was neuer reueiled vnto vs, being a point of exceeding great
consequence, I haue here inserted the voyage of one Francis Gualle a
Spaniard made from Acapulco an hauen on the South sea on the coast of New
Spaine, first to the Philippinas, and then to the citie of Macao in China,
and homeward from Macao by the yles of Iapan, and thence to the back of the
West Indies in the Northerly latitude of 37. degrees 1/2. In which course
betweene the said ylands and the ma