est.
"Moreover, this will be a means not only to save, but to fill his
majesty's coffers, enabling the people to give him liberally and
often. The king's ships will have little to do but to guard the
coasts; for the sea-war will be chiefly made at the charge of the
subjects. This I doubt not but that, in a short time, both king and
people shall be safe at home, and feared abroad. To conclude, I shall
be very glad to hear any man make objection against this design, so
that he do so with an intention to refine and perfect the work; but
if any shall speak against it with a mind to hinder and destroy it, I
must entreat him to pardon me, if I do scarce think him to be a good
Englishman.
"That project of the West India Association had the same fate with
most other bold and honest projects in that reign, which was, after
being talked of a little, it sunk into oblivion. Our next difference
with Spain was under the protectorate of Cromwell, who encouraged
Father Gage to publish his account of the Spanish West Indies, which
formed the foundation of his attempt upon Hispaniola, and conquest of
Jamaica; but I do not know of any design formed by him to attack the
Spaniards in the South Seas. After the Restoration we were upon good
terms with Spain, as certainly was our interest. Yet Charles II. did
not absolutely neglect this navigation, but sent Sir John Marborough,
one of the best seamen this nation ever bred, in the Sweepstakes, in
the latter end of the year 1669, by way of the Straits of Magellan,
into the South Seas. To say the truth, our privateers, under the
command of Captains Sharpe, Davis, Swan, &c. were continually in these
seas, during all that reign and the next; so that, in those days, our
seamen were no strangers to any of the passages into the South Seas;
and, as the reader may have already observed, from the voyage of
Captain Cowley, it was then no unusual thing for the traders of London
to fit out ships for these parts, but whether with a view to traffic
or privateering, is a point not easy to determine at this distance of
time. But whatever the purpose they were sent upon, thither they went,
and no complaints were ever heard of with respect to extraordinary
hardships in the voyage, which is sufficient to shew how much
depends upon keeping all branches of navigation open, in order to
be constantly in a condition to secure and extend our trade, and to
preserve our reputation as a maritime power.
"After the Re
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