To the Reader.
the City and Kingdom of Granada from the Moors; being so impoverished thereby, that he was compelled to borrow with some difficulty a few Crowns of a very mean man, to set forth Columbus upon so glorious an Expedition. And yet, if time were closely followed at the heels we are not so far behind, but we might yet take him by the fore-top. To which purpose our Plantations of the Barbadoes, St. Christophers, Mevis, and the rest of the Caribe-Islands have not only advanced our journey the better part of the way; but so inured our people to the Clime of the Indies, as they are the more enabled thereby to undertake any enterprise upon the firm Land with greater facility. Neither is the difficulty so great as some may imagine; for I dare be bold to affirm it knowingly, That with the same pains and charge which they have been at in planting one of those petty Islands, they might have conquered so many great Cities and large Territories on the main Continent, as might very well merit the Title of a Kingdom. Our Neighbours the Hollanders may be our example in this case, who whilst we have been driving a private Trade from Port to Port, of which we are now likely to be deprived, have conquered so much
