THE WHOLE AND true discovery of Terra Florida, (englished the Flourishing land.) Containing aswell the wonderful strange natures and manners of the people, with the marvelous commodities and treasures of the country: As also the pleasant Ports, Havens, and ways thereunto Never found out before the last year 1562.  
Written in French by Captain Ribald the first that wholly discovered the same. And now newly set forth in English the xxx of May. 1563.   printer's device: emblem showing a boy with wings on his right arm and with his left hand holding or fastened to a weight; a crowned and bearded figure with outstretched right arm appears in clouds above and to the right 
printed at London by Roland Hall, for Thomas Hacket.   

The true discovery of terra Florrida.  
WHere as in the year of our Lord God 1562. it pleased God to move your honour, to choose and appoint us, to discover and view a certain long coast of the West India, from the head of the land called Laflorida, drawing toward the N●●●●●●●t, unto the head of Britons, dist●●●●●●m the said head of Laflorida 900. leagues, or there about: to the end we might certify you and make true report of the temperature, fertility, Ports, Havens, Rivers, and generally of all the commodities that be seen and found in that land, and also to learn what people were there dwelling, which thing you have long time ago desired, being stirred thereunto by this zeal. That France might one day through new discoveries have knowledge of strange countries and also thereof to receive (by means of continual traffic) rich & inestimable commodities, as other nations have done by taking in hand such far navigations, both to the honour & prowess of their kings & princes, & also to the increase of great profit & use to their common wealths, countries & dominions, which is most of all without comparison to be considered & esteemed. It seemeth well that ye have been stirred hereunto even of god above, & led to it by the hope and desiere you have that a number of brutish people & ignorant of jesus Christ, may by his grace come to some knowledge of his holy laws & ordinances. So therefore it seemeth that it hath pleased God by his godly providence to reserve the care which he hath had of their salvation until this time, and will bring them to our faith, at the time by himself alone forséen & ordained. For if it were needful to show how many from time to time have gone about to find out this great land, & to inhabit there: who nevertheless have always failed and been put by from their intention & purpose: some by fear of shipwrecks, and some by great winds & tempests that drove them back to their marvelous grief. Of the which there was one a very famous stranger named Sebastian Cobote an excellent Pilot sent thither by king Henry, the year 1498. & many others, who never could attain to any habitation nor take possession there of one only foot of ground, nor yet approach or enter into these parties & fair rivers into the which God hath brought us. Wherefore, my lord, it may be well said that the living God hath reserved this great land for your poor servants and subjects as well to the end they might be made great over this poor people, and rude nation: as also to approve the former affection which our Kings have had unto this discovery.  
For the late king Frances the first (of happy memory) a prince endued with excellent virtues. The year 1524. sent a famous & notable man a Florentine, named Messire jehan de Varran, to search & discover the West parts as far as might be: Who departing from Deep with two vessels little differing from the making & burden of these two Pinnaces of the kings, which your honour hath ordained for this present navigation. In the which land they have found the elevation the Pole, an viii. degrees. The country (as he writeth) goodly, fruitful, & so good temperature, that it is not possible to have the better: being then as yet of no man seen, nor discerned. But they being not able to bring to pass at this first voyage that which he had intended, nor to arrive in any Port, by reason of sundry inconveniences, which commonly happen, were constrained to return into France: where after his arrival, he never ceased to make suit until he was sent thither again, where at last he died. The which occasion gave small courage to send thither again, & was the cause that this laudable enterprise was left of, until the year 1534. at which time his Majesty (desiring always to enlarge his kingdom, countries & dominions, & thadvancing & case of his subjects) sent thither a Pilot of S. Mallows, a Briton, named james Cartiere, well seen in the art & knowledge of navigation, & especially of the North parts, commonly called the new land, led by some hope to find passage that ways to the South seas: Who being not able at his first going to bring any thing to pass, that he pretended to do: was sent thither again the year following, & likewise le sire Hemerall, and as it is well known they did inhabit & build, & plant the kings arms in the North part a good way in the land, as far as Tavadu & Ochisaon Wherefore my Lord trust justly that a thing so commendable & worthy to be with good courage attempted that God would guide & keep us, desiring always to fulfil your commandment. When we had done your business, and made our preparations the xviij day of February 1562, through the favour of God we departed with our two vessels out of the haven of clave de Grace into the road Caur: and the next day hoisted up sail (the wind being in the East) which lasted so five days, that we could not arrive at the nauch that is from between the coast of Britton and England and the Isles of Surlinos and Wiskam: So that the Wind blowing with great fury & tempest out of the West, and West south-west, altogether contrary to our way and course, & all that we could do was to none effect, besides the great danger of breaking of our Masts, as also to be hindered in our other labours. Wherefore as well to shun many other inconveniences, which might follow to the prejudice & breach of our voyage, having regard also to the likely danger of death, that some of our gentlemen & soldiers being troubled with fevers & hot sickennesses, might have fallen into: as also for other considerations, we thought good to fall into the road of Breast in Britain, to set there our sick folk on land, & suffer the tempest to pass. From whence (after we had tarried there two days) we returned again to seaward to follow our navigation, so that (my Lord) albeit the wind was for a long season very much against us, & troublesome: yet at the end (God giving us through his grace & accustomed goodness a meetly favourable wind) I determined with all diligence to prove a new course which hath not been yet attempted: traversing the seas of Octian 1800 leagues at the least, which in deed is the true and short course that hereafter must be kept, to the honour of our nation, rejecting the old conserved opinion, which to long time hath been holden as true.  
Which is, that it was thought a thing impossible to have the wind at East, north-east, & keep the race & course we enterprised, but that we should be driven toward the region of Africa, the Isles of Canaria, Madera, & other lands thereabouts. And the cause why we have been the more provoked & assured to take this new race, hath been because that it seemed to every one that we might not pass nor go in this navigation without the sight & touching of the Antillies & Lucaries, & there sojourn & take fresh waters & other necessaries, as the Spaniards do in their voyage to new Spain: whereof (thanked be God) we have had no need, nor entered the channel of Roham: which hath been thought impossible. Forseing also that it was not expedient for us to pass through the islands, as well to shone many inconveniences that might happen in passing that way (whereof springeth nothing but innumerable quarrels plead, confusions, & breach of all worthy enterprises & godly navigations, whereof ensueth complaints & odious questions between the subjects of the king & his friends & allies) as also to the end they might understand that in the time to come (God having showed us such graces, as these his wonderful benefits first showed to the poor people of this so goodly new framing people, of so gentle a nature, & a country so pleasant & fruitful, lacking nothing at all that may seem necessary for man's food) we would not have to do with their islands, & other lands: which (for that they first discovered them) they keep with much jealousy: trusting that if God will suffer the king (through your persuasion) to cause some part of this incomparable country to be peopled & inhabited with such a number of his poor subjects as you shall think good, there never happened in the memory of man so great & good commodity to France as this, & (my Lord) for many causes, whereof a man is never able to say or write to the full, as under the assured hope that we have always had in executing uprightly that which I had received in charge of you, God would bless our ways & navigations. After we had constantly & with diligence in time convenient determined upon the way, we should have thought it noisome & tedious to all our company, if it had before been known unto any without turning or wavering to or fro from their first intention. And not withstanding that Satan did often what he could to sow many obstractes troubles & lets, according to his accustomed subtleties, so it is come to pass, that God by his only goodness hath given us grace, to make the furthest art & travars of the seas, that ever was made in our memory or knowledge, in longitude from the East to the West: and therefore was it commonly said both in France & Spain, & also among us, that it was impossible for us safely to arrive thither, whither the Lord did conduct us. All which persuaded but of ignorance & lack of attempting: which we have not been afraid to give adventure to prove. Albeit that all Mariners Cards do set the Coasts with shipwrecks without Ports or Rivers: which we have found otherwise as it followeth.  
Thursday the last of Apryll at the break of the day, we discovered and clearly perceived a fair coast, stretching of a great length covered with an infinite number of high & fair trees, we being not past 7 or 8 leagues from the shore, the country seeming unto us plain without any show of hills, & approaching nearer within four or five leagues of the land, we cast an Anchor at ten fathom water, the bottom of the Sea being plain with much Ocias' and fast hold on the south side, as far as a certain point or Cape situate under that Latitude of nine & twenty degrees & a half, which we have named Cape Francois.  
We could espy neither river nor Bay, wherefore we sent our Botes furnished with men of experience, to sound and know the coast near the shore: who returning to us about one of the clock at after noon, declared that they had found among other things eight fathom of water at the hard bank of the sea. Whereupon having diligently weighed up our Ankers, & hoisted up our sails with wind at will we sailed & viewed the coast all along with unspeakable pleasure, of the odorours' smell & beauty of the same. And because there appeared unto us no sign of any Port, about the setting of the Sun we cast anchor again: which done, we did behold to and fro the goodly order of the Woods wherewith God hath decked every way the said land. Then perceiving toward the North a leaping & a breaking of the water, as a stream falling out of the land into the sea. For the which we set up sails again to double the same while it was yet day. And as we had so done, & passed beyond it: there appeared unto us a fair entry of a fair River which caused us to cast Anchor again there nearer the land: to the end the next day we might see what it was, and though that the wind blew for a time vehemently to the shoreward: yet the hold & ankerage was so good, that one cable & one anchor held us fast, with out danger or sliding.  
The next day in the morning, being the first of May, we assayed to enter this Port, with two new Barges & a Boat well trimmed, finding little water Barges which might have astonished & caused us return back to shipboard, if God had not speedily brought us in. Where finding .536. fathom water, entered into a goodly and great river, which as we went found to increase still in depth and largeness, boiling and roaring through the multitude of all kind of fish. This being entered we perceived a great number of the Indians inhabitants there, coming along the sands & sea banks, coming near unto us, without any t-aking of fear or doubt, showing unto us the easiest landing place: & thereupon we giving them also on our parts thanks of assurance & friendliness. Forthwith one of appearance, out of the best among them, brother unto one of their Kings, or governors, commanded one of the Indians to enter into the water: and to approach our boats to show us the coasts landing place. We seeing this (without any more doubting or difficulty) landed, & the messenger (after we had rewarded him with some looking glass, & other pretty things of small value) ran incontinently toward his Lord: Who forth with sent me his Girdle, in token of assurance & friendship, which Girdle was made of red leather, as well covered & coloured as was possible: and as I began to go towards him, he set forth & came & received me gently, & raised after his manner all his men, following with great silence & modesty: yea more than our men did. And after we had a while with gentle usage congratulated with him: we fell to the ground a little way from them, to call upon the name of God, & to beseech him to continue still his goodness towards us, & bring to the knowledge of our Saviour Christ this poor people. While we were thus praying (they sitting upon the ground, which was strawed & dressed with Bay bows) beheld & hearkened unto us, very attentively without either speaking or moving: & as I made a sign unto their king, lifting up mine arm, & stretching forth one finger, only to make them look up to heavenward. He likewise lifting up his arm towards heaven put forth two fingers: whereby it seemed that he made us to understand, that they worshipped the Sun & the Moon for Gods: as afterwards we understood it so. In the mean time their numbers increased, & thither came the Kings brother, that was first with us, their mother, wives, sisters & children, & being thus assembled, they caused a great number of Bay boughs to be cut, & therewith a place to be dressed for us, distant from theirs two fathom. For it is their manner to talk & bargain sitting: & the chief of them to be apart, from the meaner sort, with a show of great obedience to their Kings, Superiors, & Elders. They be all naked, & of a goodly stature, mighty, fair, & as well shapen & proportioned of body, as any people in the world: very gentle, courtesy, and of a good nature.  
The most part of them cover their reins & privities with fair Hearts skins, painted most commonly with sundry colours: & the fore part of their body & arms, be painted with pretty devised works, of Azure, red, & black, so well & so properly as the best Painter of Europe could not amend it. The women have their bodies painted with a certain Herb like unto Moss, whereof the Cedar trees, & all other trees be always covered. The men for pleasure do always trim themselves therewith, after sundry fashions: They be of Tauney colour, Haulke nosed & of a pleasant countenance. The women be well favoured, & will not suffer one dishonestly to approach to near them. But we were not in their houses for we saw none at that tyme.  
After we had tarried in this North side of the river the most part of the day (which River we have called may for that we discovered the same the first day of the month) we congratulated, made alliance, & entered into amity with them, and presented the King and his brethren with Gowns of Blue cloth garnished with yellow Flouredeluces. And it seemed that they were sorry for our departure: so that the most part of them entered into the water up to the neck, to set our Boats a float.  
Putting into us sundry kind of fishes, which with marvelous speed they ran to take in their paks, made in the water with great reeds, so well & cunningly set together, after the fashion of a labyrinth, or Maze, with so many turns & croaks, as it is impossible to do it without much cunning & industry.  
But desiring to employ the rest of the day on the other side of this River, to view & know those Indians that we saw there. We traversed thither, & without any difficulty landed amongst them, who received us very gently & with great humanity: putting us of their fruits, even into our Boats, Molberies, Raspis, & such other fruits, as they found ready by the way.  
Soon after this came thither the king with his brethren & others with bows & arrows in their hands, using therewithal a goodly & a grave fashion, with their behaviour right soldierlike, & as warlike boldness as may be. They were naked & painted as tother, their hear likewise long, & trussed up (with a lace made of herbs) to the top of their heads: but they had neither their wives nor children in their company. After we had a good while lovingly entertened & presented them with like gifts of habersher wares, cutting hokes & hatchets & clothed the king & his brethren with like robes, as we had given to them on the other side: we entered & viewed the country thereabouts, which is the fairest, fruitfullest, & pleasantest of all the world, abounding in honey, venison, wild foul, forests, woods of all sorts, Palm trees, Cypress, & cedars, Bays the highest & greatest, with also the fairest vines in all the world, with Grapes according, which without natural art & without man's help or trimming will grow to tops of Oks, & other trees that be of a wonderful greatness and height. And the sight of the fair Meadows is a pleasure not able to be expressed with tongue: full of Hernes, Curlues, Bitters, Mallardes, Egrepths, Wodkockes, & all other kind of small birds: With Hearts, Hinds, Bucks, wild Swine, & all other kinds wild beasts, as we perceived well both by their footing there, & also afterwards in other places, by their cry & roaring in the night.  
Also there be Coneys & Hares: Silk worms in marvelous number, a great dell fairer & better, then be our silk worms. To be short, it is a thing unspeakable to consider the things that be seen there, & shallbe found more & more, in this incomparable land, which never yet broken with plough irons, bringeth forth all things according to his first nature, wherewith the eternal God endued it. About their houses they labour & till the ground, sowing their fields with a grain called Mahis, whereof they make their meal: & in their Gardens they plant beans, gourds, cocumbers, citrous, peason, & many other fruits & roots unknown unto us. Their spades & mattocks be made of Wood, so well & fitly as is possible: which they make with certain stones, oyster shells & muscles, wherewith also they make their bows & small lances: & cut & polish all sorts of Wood, that they employ about their byldings, & necessary use: There groweth also many Walnut trees, Hasell trees, Cheritrees, very fair and great.  
And generally, we have seen there of the same Simples and herbs that we have in France, & of the like goodness, savour & taste. The people be very good Archers, and of great strength: Their bow strings are made of Leather, and their Arrows of reeds which they do head with the teeth of fishes. As we now demanded of them concerning the land called Sevola, whereof some have written not to be far from thence, and to be situate within the land, & toward the Sea called the south Sea.  
They showed us by signs that which we understood well enough, that they might go thither with their Boats (by Rivers) in twenty days. They that have written of this kingdom & town of Sevola, & other towns & kingdoms thereabouts, say that there is great abundance of gold & silver, precious stones, & other great riches: & that the people had their arrows headed (instead of iron) with sharp pointed Turquesies. Thus the night approaching, it was convenient for us to return by day a shypborde. We took leave of them much to their greief, but more to ours without comparison, for that we had no mean to enter the rivers with our ship. And albeit, it was not their custom either to eat or drink from the Sun rising till his going down: yet the king openly would needs drink with us, praying us very gently to give him the cup where out we had drunk: & so making him to understand that we would see him again the next day, we retired to our ships, which lay above six leagues from the haven to the sea.  
The next day in the morning we returned to land again, accompanied with the Captains, Gentlemen, and Soldiers, & other of our small trope: carrying with us a Pillour or Column of hard stone, our Kings arms graved therein, to plant & set the same in the enterye of the port in some high place, where it might be easily seen, & being come thither before the Indians were assembled, we espied on the south side of the river a place very fit for that purpose, upon a little hill compassed with Cypress, Bays, Paulmes and other trees, with sweet smelling & pleasant shrubs. In the middle whereof we planted the first bound or limit of his Majesty. This done perceiving our first Indians assembled, not without some misliking of those on the South part, where we had set the limet, who tarried for us in the same place where they met with us the day before, seeming unto us that there is some enmity between them & the others. But when they perceived our long tarrying on this side, they ran to see what we had done in that place where we landed first, & had set our limit: which they viewed a great while without touching it any way, or abasing, or ever speaking to us thereof at any time after. Howbeit we could scant departed but as it were with grief of mind from this our first alliance, they rowing unto us all along the river from all parts & presenting us with some of their heart skins, painted & unpainted, meal, little cakes, fresh water, roots like unto Rinbabe which they have in great estimation, & make thereof a potion of medicine: also they brought little gabs of red colours & some small spices like unto Vire, perceiving among themselves fair things painted as it had been with grain of scarlet, showing unto us by signs that they had in the land gold & silver & copper: whereof we have brought some. Also lead like unto ours which we showed. Also turquesses & great abundance of pearls which as they declared unto us they took out of oysters, whereof there is taken ever along the river side, & among the reeds, & in the marches: & so marvelous abundance as is scant credible: & we have perceived that there be as many & as fair pearls found there as in any country of the world. For we saw a man of theirs as we entered into our Boats, that had a pearl hanging at a collar of Gold & Silver about his neck, as great as an acorn at the least. This man as he had taken fish in one of their fishing packs thereby brought the same to our boats, & our men perceiving the greatness thereof, one of them putting his finger toward it, the man drew back, & would no more come near the Boat: not for any fear that he had that they would have taken his collar & Pearl from him, for he would have given it them, for a looking Glass or a Knife:  
But that he doubted lest they would have pulled him into the Boat, & so by force have carried him away. He was one of the goodliest men of all the company. But for that we had no leisure to tarry any longer with them, the day being well passed, which grieved us, for the commodity & great riches, which as we understood & saw might be gotten there, desiring also to employ the rest of the day with our second alliance the Indians on the southside, as we perceived them the day before, which still tarried looking for us: We passed the river to their shore, where as we found them tarrying for us, quietly & in good order, with new paintings upon their face, & feathers upon their heads: the King with his Bow & Arrows lying by him, sat on the ground strawed with boughs between his two brethren, which were goodly men & well shapen & of a wonderful show of activities, having upon their heads, one here trussed upright of height, of some kind of wild beast gathered & wrought together with great cunning, wreathed & fasted after the form of a Diadem. One of them had hanging about his neck a round plate of red Copper well polished, with one other lesser of Silver in the midst of it, & at his ear a little plate of Copper wherewith they use to stripe the sweet from their bodies. They showed us that there was great store of this metal within the country, about five or six days journey from thence, both in the South side & North side of the same Rivers, & that they went thither in their Boates. Which Boats they make but of one piece of a tree, working it whole so cunningly & featly, that they put in one of these Boats fifteen or twenty persons, & go their ways very safely. They that row stand upright having their oars short after the fashion of a Péele. Thus being among them they presented us with meal dressed & baked, very good & well tasted, & of good nourishment, also beans, & fish, as Crabs, Lobster's, Crevices, and many other kind of good fishes, showing us by signs that their dwellings were far of, & if their provision had been near hand, they would have presented us with many other refreshynges.  
The night now approaching, we were fain to return to our ship, very much to our grief: for that we durst not hazard to enter with our ship, by reason of a Bar of Sande, that was at the enterye of the port, how be it, at a full Sea there is two fathom & a half of water at the least, and it is but a leap over a surge to pass this Bar, not passing the length of two Cables. And then forthwith every where within six or seven fathom water. So that it maketh a very fair haven, & ships of a mean burden from four score to a hundred tons may enter therein at all floods, yea of a far greater burden, if there were French men dwelling there that might scour the entry as they do in France: for there is nothing lacking for the life of man. The situation is under the elevation of thirty. degrees, a good climate healthful, & of a good temperature, marvelous pleasant, the people good, & of a good & amiable nature, which willingly will obey: yea be content to serve those that shall with gentleness & humanity go about to allure them, as it is needful for those that be sent thither hereafter so to do, & as I have charged those that be left there to do, to th'end they may ask & learn of them where they take their gold, copper, & turquesses, & other things yet unknown unto us: by reason of the time we sojourned there. For if any rude or rigorous means should be used towards this people, they would fly hither & thither through the Woods & Forests, & abandon their habitations and countries.  
The next day being the third day of May, desiring always to find out harbours to rest in, we set up sail again: And after we had ranged the coast as near the shore as we could, there appeared unto us about seven leagues of on this side of the river of May a great opening or Bay of some river, whither with one of our Boats we rowed, & there found one entry almost like that of the river of May, & within the same as great a depth, & as large a dividing itself into many great streams, great and broad stretchinges towards the high land, with many other less, that divide country into fair & great lands and great number of small & fair Meadows. Being entered into them about three leagues, we found in a place very commodious, strong, & pleasant of situation, certain Indians, who received us very gently: How be it, we being somewhat near their houses, it seemed it was somewhat against their good wills that we went thither, for at their cries and noises they made their wives and children and household stuff to be carried into the Woods: How be it they suffered us to go into their houses, but they themselves would not accompany us thither. Their houses be made of Would fitly & close, set upright & covered with reeds: the most part of them after the fashion of a Pavilion. But there was one house amongs the rest very long & broad, with settels round about made of reeds trimly couched together, which serve them both for beds & seats, they be of height two foot from the ground, set upon great round pillars painted with red, yellow, & blue, well & trimly polished: some sort of this people perceiving that we had in no manner wise hurted their dwellings nor gardens which they dressed very diligently, they returned all unto us before our inbarking, seeming very well contented by their giving unto us water, fruits & Hart skins. It is a place wonderful fertile, & of strong situation, the ground fat so that it is likely that it would bring forth Wheat & all other corn twice a year, & the commodities for livelihood, & the hope of more riches, be like unto those we found & considered upon the river of May, without coming into the sea: this arm doth divide, & maketh many other Isles of May, as also many other great islands: by the which we travel from one Island to another, between land & land. And it seemeth the men may sail without danger through all the country, & never enter into the great sea, which were a wonderful advantage. This is the land of Cherere whereof some have written, & which many have gone about to find, for the great riches they perceived by some Indians to be found there. It is set under so good a climate, that none of our men (though we were there in the hottest time of the year, the Sun entering into Cancer) were troubled with any sicknesses. The people there live long and in great health & strength, so that the aged men go without staves, and are able to go & run like the youngest of them, who only are known to be old by the wrinkles in their face, & decay of sight. We departed from them very friendly, and with their contentation. But the night overtaking us, we were constrained to lie in our ships all that night, till it was day, floating upon this River which we have called Seen, because that the enterye of it is as broad as from Haver degrace unto Honesleve. At the break of the day we espied out of the South side one of the fairest, pleasauntst, and greatest meadow ground that might be seen, into the which we went, finding at the very entry a long, fair, and great Lake, and an innumerable number of foot steps of great Hearts and Hinds of a wonderful greatness, the steps being all fresh and new, and it seemeth that the people do nourish them like tame cattle in great Herds: for we saw the steps of an Indian that followed them.  
The channel & depth of this River of Seyne, is on the side of the meadow that is in the isle of May. Being returned to our ships, we sailed to know more & more of this coast, going as near the shore as we could. And as we had sailed about six or seven leagues, there appeared unto us another Bay, where we cast anchor, & tarrying so all the night, in the morning we went thither, & finding (by our sounding) at the entry many banks & beatings, we durst not enter there with our great ship, having named the river some, which is 8. 9 10. 11. fathom depth, dividing itself into many great Islands, & small goodly meadow grounds & pastures, & every where such abundance of fish as is incredible, & on the West Northwest side, there is a great river that cometh from the country of a great length over: & another on the North-east side, which return into the sea. So that (my Lord) it is a country full of havens, rivers, & islands, of such fruitfulness as can not with tongue be expressed: & where in short time great & precious commodities might be found. And besides this we discovered & found also 7. rivers more, as great & as good, cutting & dividing the land into fair & great islands. The Indians inhabitants there be like in manners, & the country in fertility apt & commodious through out to bear & bring forth plentifully all that men would plant or sow upon it. There be every where the highest and greatest Firtrees that can be seen, very well smelling, & whereout might be gathered (with cutting the only bark) as much Rosen, Turpentine, & Frankincense, as men would desire. And to be short there lacketh nothing. Wherefore being not able to enter & lie with our great vessels there, we could make no long abiding, nor enter so far into the rivers & countries as we would fain have done: for it is well known how many inconveniences have happened unto men, not only in attempting of new discoveries, but also in all places by leaving their great vessels in the sea, far from the land, unfurnished of the heads & best men. As for the other rivers we have given them names as followeth: and unto the islands joining unto them, the same name that the next river unto it hath, as you shall see by the portraitures or Cards that I have made thereof. As to the fourth name of Loire, to the fift Charnet, to the sixth Charon, to the seventh river bell, to the eight river Grand, to the ninth port Royal, and to the tenth Belle Virrir.  
Upon Whitsonday the xxvij. day of May, after we had perceived & considered that there was no remedy, but 'tis assay to find the means to harbour our ships, as well to amend & trim them, as to get us fresh water, Wood, & other necessaries, whereof we having opinion that there was no fairer or fitter place for the purpose, than port Royal. And when we had sounded the entry and the Channel (thanked be God) we entered safely therein with our ships, against the opinion of many, finding the same one of the fairest and greatest Havens of the world.  
How be it, it must be remembered lest men approaching near it within seven leagues of the land, be abashed and afraid on the eastside, drawing toward the Southeast, the ground to be flat, for nevertheless at a full Sea, there is every where four Fathom water, keeping the right Channel.  
In this part there are many Rivers of mean bigness and large, where without danger the greatest ships of the world might be harbered, which we found, no Indian inhabiting thereabouts. The port and Rivers side is nearer than ten or twelve leagues upwards into the countries, although it be one of the goodliest, best, and fruitfullest countries that ever was seen, and where nothing lacketh, and also where as good & likely commodities be found as in other places thereby. For we found there a great number of Pepertrees, the Pepper yet green, & not ready to be gathered: Also the best water of the world, & so many sorts of fishes that ye may take them without net or angle so many as ye will. Also an innumerable sort of wild foul of all sorts, & in little Islands at the entry of this haven, on the East north-east side, there is so great number of Egreps that the bushes be all white & covered with them, so that one may take of the young ones with his hand as many as he will carry away. There be also a number of other fowls, as Hernes, Bitters, Cuxlues. And to be short, there is so many small birds that it is a strange thing to be seen. We found the Indians there more doubtful & fearful than the others before. Yet after we had been in their houses, & congregated with them, and showed courtesy to those that we found to have abandoned there through boats meal, victual, and small household stuff, & both in, not taking away or touching any part thereof, and in leaving in the place where they dressed their meat, knives, Looking glasses, little Beads of glass, which they love and esteem above Gold & Pearls, for to hang them at their ears & neck, and to give them to their wives & children; they were somewhat emboldened.  
For some of them came to our Boats, of the which we carried two goodly and strong aboard our ships, clothing and using them as gently as it was possible. But they seized not day nor night to lament, & at length they escaped away. Wherefore albeit, I was willing (according to your commandment & memorial) to bring away some of them with us, on the Prince's behalf & yours, I forbore to do so for many considerations & reasons that they told me, & for that we were in doubt that (leaving some of our men there to inhabit) all the country, men, women, & children, would not have seized to pursue them for to have theirs again: seeing they be not able to consider & way to what intent we should have carried them away: and this may be better done to their contentation, when they have better acquaintance of us, and know that there is no such cruelty in us, as in other people and nations, of whom they have been beguiled under colour of good faith: which doing in the end turned to the doers no good. This is the river of jordain in mine opinion, whereof so much hath been spoken, which is very fair and the country good, both for the easy habitation, & also for many other things, which should be to long to write.  
The twenty of May we planted another column or pillar graven with the king's arms on the south side, in a high place, of thentry of a great river, which we called Libourne: where there is a lake of fresh water very good, & on the same side a little lower towards thentry of that haven is one of the fairest fountains that a man may drink of, which falleth by violence down to the river from an high place out of a red & sandy ground, & yet for all that fruitful & of good air, where it should seem that the Indians have had some fair habitation.  
There we saw the fairest & the greatest vines with grapes according, & young trees, & small woods, very well smelling, that ever were seen: whereby it appeareth to be the pleasantest & most commodious dwelling of all the world. Wherefore (my lord) trusting you will not think it amiss (considering the commodities that may be brought thence) if we leave a number of men there, which may fortify & provide themselves of things necessary: for in all new discoveries it is the chiefest thing that may be done, at the beginning to fortify and people the country. I had not so soon set forth this to our company, but many of them afraid to tarry there, yet with such a good will and jolly courage, that such a number did thus offer themselves, as we had much to do to stay their importunity.  
And namely of our shipmaisters & principal Pylotes, & such as we could not spare. How be it, we left there but to the number of thirty in all, gentlemen, soldiers & mariners, & that at their own suit & prayer, & of their own free wills, & by the advice & deliberation of the gentlemen sent on the behalf of the Prince, and yours. And have left unto the forehead & Rulers (following therein your good will) Captain Albart de la Pierria, a soldier of long experience, & the first from the beginning did offer to tarry. And further by their advice, choice & will, inskaled & fortified them in an Island on the Northside, a place of strong situation & commodious, upon a river which we named Chenonceau, & the habitation and Fortress Charlefote.  
After we had instructed & duly admonished them of that they should do (as well for their manner of proceeding, as for the good & loving behaviour of them) the xj day of the month of june last passed, we departed from port Royal minding yet to range & view the coast until the xl degrees of the elevation: But for as much as there came upon us troublesome & cloudy weather, very incommodious for our purpose, & considering also amongs many other things, that we had spent our cables & furniture thereof, which is the most principal thing that longeth to them that go to discover countries, where continually both night & day they must lie at anchor: also our victuals being perished & spilt, our lack of Boateswaines to set forth our row barges, & leave our vessels furnished. The declaration made unto us of our Pyllots & some others that had before been at some of those places, where we purposed to sail, & have been already found by some of the kings subjects, the danger also and inconveniences that might thereof happen unto us: and by reason of the great mists & fogs whereof the season was already come, we perceived very well where as we were, that we could do no good, & that it was to late, & the good and fit season for to undertake this thing already past. All these things thus well considered and weighed, & also for that we thought it meet & necessary that your honour should with diligence be advertised (through the help of God) to return homewards to make relation unto you of the effect of our navigation. Praying God that it may please him to keep you in long health, and prosperity.  
FINIS.   

printed at London by Roland Hall, for Thomas Hacket, and are to be sold at his shop.