After commending the breeding, valour, virtue, gifts of mind and public spirit of Gilbert, he gives the following astounding account of the origin and publication of his "Discourse":

You must herewith vnderstand (good Reader) that the author hauinge a worshipfull Knight to his brother, who abashed at this enterprise (aswell for that he himselfe had none issue, nor other heier whome he ment to bestow his lands vpon, but onely this Authour, and that this voyage then seemed strange and had not beene commonly spoken before, as also because it seemed vnpossible vnto the common capacities) did seeme partly to mislike his resolutions, and to disuade him from the same: there-upon he wrote this Treatise vnto his saide Brother, both to excuse and cleare himselfe from the note of rashnesse, and also to set downe such Authorities, reasons, and experiences, as had chiefly encouraged him vnto the same, as may appeare by the letter next following, the which I haue here inserted for that purpose. And this was done about vii. yeares now past, sithence which time the originall copies of the same haue lien by the authour as one rather dreading to hazarde the Iudgements of curious perusers then greedie of glorie by hasty publication.

Now it happened that my selfe being one (amongst manie) beholding to the said S. Humfrey Gilbert for sundrie curtesies, did come to visit him in Winter last passed at his house in Limehowse, and beeing verie bolde to demaunde of him howe he spente his time in this loytering vacation from martiall stratagemes, he curteously tooke me vp into his Studie, and there shewed me sundrie profitable and verie commendable exercises, which he had perfected painefully with his owne penne: And amongst the rest this present Discouerie. The which as well because it was not long, as also because I vnderstoode that M. Fourboiser 1 (a kinsman of mine) did pretend to trauaile in the same Discouerie, I craued at the said S. Humfreyes handes for two or three dayes to reade and to peruse. And hee verie friendly granted my request, but stil seming to doubt that therby the same might, contrarie to his former determination, be Imprinted.

1

And to be plaine, when I had at good leasure perused it, and therwithall conferred his allegations by the Tables of Ortelius, and by sundrie other Cosmographicall Mappes and Charts, I seemed in my simple iudgement not onely to like it singularly, but also thought it very meete (as the present occasion serueth) to giue it out in publike. Whereupon I haue (as you see) caused my

1 Sir Martin Frobisher.

friendes great trauaile, and mine owne greater presumption to be registred in print.

The reader will recollect that a similar performance is alleged in connection with the publication of the Adventures of Master F. J. (see Chapter VIII.), and we find in the Harvey Letter-book remonstrances against a trick of the same kind played on Harvey by "Immerito"; and other examples occur.

From the date of this "Epistle" (12th April 1576) Gascoigne's visit to Gilbert, mentioned in the above extract, would have been in the winter of 1575. The words "And this was done about vii. yeares now past" are therefore inconsistent with the date of the letter to Sir John Gilbert, and of the "Discourse," which is given as "the last of June, Anno D. 1566.”

Gilbert had presented a petition for a licence for NorthWestern discovery in 1566, but without success. From the Gascoigne "Epistle" it appears that in 1575 he was living in retirement, probably on account of his health, which had suffered during his service in Ireland. Gilbert was a poor man, and it is difficult, therefore, to see why he should have objected to any one backing his efforts by publishing his work, unless it were from fear that his ideas would be appropriated by others who had more means at their disposal. If that were so, it only makes Gascoigne's alleged performance the more scandalous. But it seems incredible that any one could have acted in the manner described; still more incredible that he should have owned up to it. The writer, however, proceeds to justify his performance, and makes it worse (or, rather, more absurd):

But since I have thus aduentured both his rebuke, and mine owne reproofe, let me thus alledge in both our defences:

1. First it is but a Pamphlet and no large discourse, and therefore the more to be borne withall: since the faults (if any be) shalbe the fewer, because the volume is not great.

2. Also it was ment by th'autour, but as a private Letter unto his Brother for his better satisfaction: and therefore his imperfections therein (if any were) are to be pardoned, since it is very likely that if he had ment to publish the same, he would

with greater heede have observed and perused the worke in everie parte.

3. Againe, it commeth foorth without his consent: So that he had neither warning nor time to examine, nor yet to amende anie thing that were worthie misliking.

4. Furthermore it treateth of a matter whereof no man hath heretofore written particularly, nor shewed ani approved reason for the same. So that not onely his trauaile and paine are very commendable (who out of sundrie Authorities woulde gather one reasonable coniecture) but also the worke is not to be thought bareine, although it doe not fully prooue so much as may be expected, since he that plougheth in a flintie fielde, speedeth well if he reape but an indifferent crop.

5. And last of all it is to bee considered, that of thinges uncertaine, the greatest Clerke that euer was could write but probably.

The reader will not fail to notice that the affectation of "simplicity" is not absent from this epistle-" in my simple judgment." It also occurs twice in the "Discourse" itself" so that it resteth not possible (so farre as my simple reason can comprehend) that the perpetual current can by any means," etc.; "this briefe and simple discourse." The writer concludes his epistle by wishing

my kinsman (who now attempteth to proue the same discouery) a happy returne,1 and to myselfe, some thankes and none ill will, for my presumption. So that the Authour being therby incouraged, may be the more willing hereafter to publishe some other well worthy which he hath in readinesse, and whereof hee hath made me alreadie an eyedwitnes. Farewell.

A remarkable piece of patronage for Gascoigne to extend to a man like Gilbert! The epistle is subscribed with a light-hearted flourish in the character (far from the reality) of Gascoigne :

From my lodging where I march amongst the Muses for lacke of exercise in martiall exploytes, this 12 of April 1576.-A friend to all well willing Readers. GEORGE GASCOINE.

1 At the time when this was written Frobisher was preparing for his first voyage in quest of a North-West passage. He started from the Thames on 7th June 1576.

It is followed by a "Prophetical Sonet of the same George Gascoine, upon the commendable travaile which Sir Humfrey Gilbert hath disclosed in this worke," and then we come to the "Discourse" itself, which will be considered in the next chapter.

CHAPTER XII

SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT'S VOYAGE

THE "Discourse" which follows the Epistle to the Reader in the name of Gascoigne (dated 12th April 1576), dealt with in the foregoing chapter, bears the description, "A Discourse of a Discouerie for a new Passage to Cataia-Written by Sir Humfrey Gilbert, Knight. Quid non."1 It is introduced by a letter, dated the last day of June 1566, from Sir Humphrey Gilbert to his elder brother, Sir John Gilbert, enclosing a copy of the "Discourse," with a map, and explaining that the author was not proposing to risk his life in a wild project, but that it was a practical one, and likely to be very profitable.2 The treatise is entirely theoretical, written with numerous examples from history and books, to prove that there must be a North-West passage to Cathay, and that it was preferable, from every point of view, to the North-Eastern route. It concludes with a promise of a further discourse on "Navigation." "

The question of a North-West passage for purposes of trade with Cathay was evidently suggested in England

1 Quid non? referring to a device adopted by Gilbert, "Mars and Mercury joined by a cross, with this motto, Quid non? i.e. What not? intimating that almost anything may be achieved, if to strength and wit there is added patience."-Biogr. Brit., art. "H. Gilbert."

2 "A Letter of Sir Humfrey Gilbert, Knight, sent to his Brother, Sir John Gilbert, of Compton, in the Countie of Devon, Knight, concerning the discourse of this Discouerie." The letter opens as follows: "Sir, you might justly haue charged mee with an unsettled head if I had at any time taken in hand to discouer Utopia, or any countrey fained by imagination: But Cataia is none such. . . ." The letter concludes: "Fare you well from my lodging the last of June Anno D. 1566. Your loving Brother, Humfrey Gilbert." 3 For details, see p. 311 below.