England's Title to North America, by Richard Hakluyt, 1584

From Richard Hakluyt. The Discourse Concerning Westerne Planting, [1584]. [Reprinted in Old South Leaflets. Boston: The Directors of the Old South Work, 1906. 444-449.]

A briefe collection of certaine reasons to induce her Majestie and the state to take in hande the westerne voyadge and the planginge there. -Chapter XX. Of Hakluyt's Discourse.

1. The soyle yeldeth, and may be made to yelde, all the severall comodities of Europe, and of all kingdomes, domynions, and territories that England tradeth with, that by trade of marchandize cometh into this realme.

2. The passage thither and home is neither to longe nor to shorte, but easie, and to be made twise in the yere.

3. The passage cutteth not nere the trade of any prince, nor nere any of their contries or territories, and is a safe passage, and not easie to be annoyed by prince or potentate whatsoever.

5. And where England nowe for certen hundreth yeres last passed, by the peculiar comoditie of wolles, and of later yeres by clothinge of the same, hath raised it selfe from meaner state to greater wealthe and moche higher honour, mighte, and power then before, to the equallinge of the princes of the same to the greatest pontentates of this parte of the worlde; it cometh nowe so to passe, that by the greate endevour of the increase of the trade of wolles in Spain and in the West Indies, nowe daily more and more muliplienge, that the wolles of England, and the clothe made of the same, will become base, and every day more base than other; which, prudently weyed, yt behoveth this realme, yf it meane not it returne to former olde meanes and basnes, but to stande in present and late former honour, glorye, and force, and not negligently and sleepingly to slyde into beggery, to foresee and to plante at Norumbega or some like place, were it not for a ny thing els but for the hope of the vent of our contynueinge naturall comoditie of this realme. And effectually pursueinge that course, wee shall not onely finde on that tracte of lande, and especially in that firme northwarde (to whome warme clothe shalbe righte wellcome), an ample vente, but also shall, from the north side of that firme, finde oute knowen and unknowen ilandes and domynions replenishd with people that may fully vent the aboundaunce of that our comoditie, that els will in fewe yeres waxe of none or of small value by forreine aboundaunce, &c.; so as by this enterprice wee shall shonne the ymmynent mischefe hanging over our heades, that els must nedes fall upon th realme, without breache of peace or sworde drawen againste this realm by any forreine state; and not offer our auncient riches to scornefull neighbors at home, nor sell the same in effecte for nothinge, as wee shall shortly, if presently it be not provided for. The increase of the wolles of Spaine and America is of high pollicie, with greate desire of our overthrowe, endeavored; and the goodnes of the forren wolles our people will not enter into the consideration of, nor will not beleve aughte, they be so sotted with opinion of their owne; and yf it be not foresene and some such place of vent provided, farewell the goodd state of all degrees in this realme.

6. This enterprise may staye the Spanishe Kinge from flowinge over all the face of that waste firme of America, yf wee seate and plante there in time, in tyme I say, and wee by plantinge shall lett him from makinge more shorte and more safe returns oute of the noble portes of the purposed places of our plantinge, then by any possibilie he can from the parte of the firme that nowe his navies by ordinary courses come from, in this that there is no comparison betwene the portes of the coastes that the Kinge of Spaine dothe nowe possesse and use, and the portes of the coastes that our nation is to possesse by plantinge at Norumbega... And England possissinge the purposed place of plantinge, her Majestie may, by the benefete of the seate, havinge wonne goodd and royall havens, have plentie of excellent trees for mastes, of goodly timber to builde shippes and to make greate navies, of pitche, tarr, hempe, and all things incident for a navie royall. . . . Howe easie a matter may yt be to this realme, swarming at this day with valiant youths, rustinge and hurtfull by lacke of employment, and havinge goodd makers of cable and of all sortes of cordage, and the best and moste connynge shipwrights of the worlde, to be lordes of all those sees, and to spoile Phillipps Indian navye, and to deprive him of yerely passage of his treasure into Europe. . . .

10. No forreen commoditie that comes into England comes withoute payment of custome once, twise, or thrise, before it come into the realme, and so all forren comodities become derer to the subjects of this realme; and by this course to Norumbega forren princes customes are avoided; and the forren comodities cheapely purchased, they become cheape to the subjects of England, to the common benefite of the people and to the savings of greate treasure in the realme; whereas nowe the realme becometh poore by the purchasinge of forreine comodities in so greate a masse at so excessive prices.

13. By makinge of shippes and by preparinge of thinges for the same, by making of cables and cordage, by plantinge of vines and olive trees, and by makinge of wyne and oyle, by husbandrie, and by thousandes of thinges there to be done, infinite nombers of the Englishe nation may be set on worke, to the unburdenynge of the realme with many that nowe lyve chardgeble to the state at home.

15. The substaunces servinge, wee may oute of those partes receave the masse of wrought wares that nowe wee receave out of France, Flaunders, Germanye, &c. . . .

16. We shall by plantinge there inlarge the glory of the gospell, and from England plante sincere relligion, and provide a safe and sure place to receave people from all partes of the worlde that are forces to flee for the truths of Gods worde.

18. The Spaniardes governe in the Indies with all pride and tyranie; and like as when people of contrarie nature at the sea enter into gallies, where men are tied as slaves, all yell and crye with one voice, Liberta, liberta, as desirous of libertie and freedome, so no doubte whensoever the Queene of England, a prince of such clemencie, shall seate upon that firme of America, and shalbe reported through oute all that tracte to use the naturall people there with all humanitie, curtesie, and freedome, they will yelde themselves to her government, and revolte clane from the Spaniards. . . . And be it highe policie to mayneteyne the poore people of this realme in worke, I dare affirme that if the poore people of England were five times so many as they be, yet all mighte be sett on worke in and by working lynnen, and such other thinges of merchandize as the trade into the Indies doth require.