Page:Diuers voyages touching the discouerie of America - Hakluyt - 1582.djvu/15

 breading of skilfulnesse in the sea men: whiche Charles the Emperour and the king of Spaine that nowe is wisely considering haue in their Contractation house in Siuill appointed a learned reader of the sayde art of Nauigation, and ioyned with him certayne examiners, and haue distinguished the orders among the sea men, as the groomet whiche is the basest degree, the marriner which is the seconde, the master the thirde, and the pilote the fourth, vnto the which two last degrees none is admitted without hee haue heard the reader for a certaine space (which is commonly an excellent Mathematician, of which number were Pedro di Medina which writte learnedly of the art of nauigation, and Alonso di Chauez & Hieronimus di Chauez, whose works likewise I haue seene) and being founde fitte by him and his assistantes, which are to examine matters touching experience, they are admitted with as great solemnitie and giuing of presents to the ancient masters and Pilots, and the reader and examiners, as the great doctors in the Vniuersities, or our great Sergeantes at the law when they proceed, and so are admitted to take charge for the Indies. And that your worshippe may knowe that this is true, Master Steuen Borrows, nowe one of the foure masters of the Queenes nauie, tolde me that newely after his returne from the discouery of Moscouie by the North, in Queene Maries daies, the Spaniards, hauing intelligence that he was master in that discouerie, tooke him into their cõtractation house at their making and admitting of masters and pilots, giuing him great honour, & presented him with a payre of perfumed gloues woorth fiue or sixe Ducates. I speake all this to this ende, that the like order of erecting such a Lecture here in London or about Ratcliffe in some conuenient place, were a matter of great consequence and importance, for the sauing of many mens liues and goods, which nowe through grosse ignorance are dayly in great hazerd, to the no small detriment of the whole realme. For whiche cause I haue dealt with the right worshipfull sir Frances Drake, that seeing God hath blessed him so wonderfully, he woulde do this honour to him selfe and benefite to his countrey, to bee at the cost to erecte such a lecture: Whereunto in most bountifull maner