and fill them with aboundance of his hidden
blessinges; as he did to the goodd Queene Isabella, which beinge in
extreme necessitie, laied her owne jewells to gage for money to furnishe
out Columbus for the firste discovery of the West Indies.

(M214) And this enterprise the princes of the relligion (among whome her
Majestie ys principall) oughte the rather to take in hande, because the
papistes confirme themselves and drawe other to theire side, shewinge that
they are the true Catholicke churche because they have bene the onely
converters of many millions of infidells to Christianitie. Yea, I myselfe
have bene demaunded of them, how many infidells have been by us converted?
Whereunto, albeit I alleaged the example of the mynisters which were sente
from Geneva with Villegagnon into Bresill,(43) and those that wente with
Iohn Ribault into Florida,(44) as also those of our nation that went with
Ffrobisher Sir Fraunces Drake, and Ffenton;(45) yet in very deede I was
not able to name any one infidell by them converted. But God, quoth I,
hath his tyme for all men, whoe calleth some at the nynthe, and some at
the eleventh houer. And if it please him to move the harte of her Majestie
to put her helpinge hande to this godly action, she shall finde as
willinge subjectes of all sortes as any other prince in all Christendome.
And as for the boastinge of your conversion of such multitudes of
infidells, yt may justly be compted, rather a perversion, seeinge you have
drawen them as it were oute of Sylla into Charibdis, that is to say, from
one error into another. Nowe therefore I truste the time ys at hande when
by her Majesties forwardnes in this enterprise, not only this obiection
and suche like shalbe aunswered by our frutefull labor in Godds harvest
amonge the infidells, but also many inconveniences and strifes amongest
ourselves at home, in matters of ceremonies, shalbe ended. For those of
the clergye which by reason of idlenes here at home are nowe alwayes
coyninge of newe opynions, havinge by this voyadge to set themselves on
worke in reducinge the savages to the chefe principles of our faith, will
become lesse contentious, and be contented with the truthe in relligion
alreadie established by authoritie. So they that shall beare the name of
Christians shall shewe themselves worthye of their vocation, so shall the
mouthe of the adversarie be stopped, so shall contention amongest brethren
be avoyded, so shal the gospell amonge inf