Page:Diuers voyages touching the discouerie of America - Hakluyt - 1582.djvu/86

reserue the care which hee hath had of their saluation vntill this time, and will bring them to our faith, at the time by himselfe alone foreseene and ordeined. For if it were needfull to shewe howe many from time to time haue gone about to finde out this great lande, and to inhabite there: who neuerthelesse haue alwaies failed & beene put by from their intention and prupose: some by feare of shipwrackes, and some by great windes and tempestes that droue them backe to their merueilous griefe. Of the which there was one a very famous stranger named Sebastian GabotaSebastian Gabota. an excellent Pylot sent thither by king Henry, the yeere 1498. and many others, who neuer could attaine to any habitation nor take possession thereof one only foote of grounde, nor yet approche or enter into these parties and faire riuers into the which God hath brought vs. Wherefore (my Lorde) it may bee well saide that the liuing God hath reserued this great lande for your poore seruantes and subiectes, as well to the ende they might bee made great ouer this poore people, & rude nation: as also to approue the former affection which our kings haue had vnto this discouerie.

For y͏ͤ late king Frances the first (of happie memorie) a Prince endued with excellent vertues. The yeere 1524. sent a famous and notable man a Florentine, named Master Iohn Verarzan,Iohn Verarzã to search and discouer the West parts as farre as might be: Who departing from Deepe with two vessels little differing from the making and burden of these two Pinnaces of the kinges, which your honour hath ordeined for this present nauigation. In the which land they haue found the eleuation the Pole, an viii. degrees. The Countrie (as he writeth) goodly, fruitfull, and so good temperature, that it is not possible to haue a better: beeing then as yet of no mã seen, nor discerned. But they being not able to bring to passe at this first voyage that which he had intended, nor to arriue in any Port, by reason of sundrie incõueniences (which cõmõly happẽ) were cõstrained to return into Fraunce: where after his arriuall, he neuer ceassed to makesuite