Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/282

 of Africa from Cape de Non, lying on the mayne in 29. degrees of northerly latitude, and follow the shore about the Cape of Buona Sperança till you come to the mouth of The Redde Sea, and passing thence along by the countrey of Arabia crosse ouer to India, and doubling Cape Comory compasse the gulfe of Bengala, and shooting by the citie of Malacca through The streite of Cincapura, coast al the south of Asia to the northeast part of China, and comprehend in this view all the Islands from The Açores and Madera in the West, to The Malucoes, The Phillippinas, and Iapan in the East: you shall heere finde by order, who were the first discouerours, conquerours and planters in euery place: as also the natures and commodities of the soyles, togither with the forces, qualities, and conditions of the inhabitants. And that which I mention of the Orient, is likewise to be vnderstood of The Occident.

Now touching the translation, it may please you sir, to be aduertised that it was first done into our language by some honest and well effected marchant of our nation, whose name by no meanes I could atteine vnto, and that as it seemeth many yeeres ago. For it hath lien by me aboue twelue yeeres. In all which space though I haue made much inquirie, and sent to Lisbo*n, where it seemeth it was printed, yet to this day I could neuer obtaine the originall copie; whereby I might reforme the manifold errours of the translator. For whereas a good translator ought to be well acquainted with the proprietie of the tongue out of which, and of that into which he translateth, and thirdly with the subiect or matter it selfe: I found this translator very defectiue in all three; especially in the last. For the supplying of whose defects I had none other remedie, but to haue recourse vnto the originall histories, (which as it appeereth are very many, and many of them exceeding rare and hard to come by) out of which the authour himselfe drewe the greatest part of this discourse. And in very deede it cost me more trauaile to search out the grounds thereof, and to annexe the marginall quotations vnto the worke, then the translation of many such bookes would haue put me vnto. Of which quotations there is yet a farther vse; to wit, that such as haue leasure sufficient, and are desirous to reade these things more at large, (for breuitie often times breedeth obscuritie) may fully satisfie their desires by hauing recourse by the helpe thereof to the pure fountaines, out of which those waters which are drawne are for the most part most sweete and