[Sidenote:  4 By the Northwest.] A fourth way to go vnto these aforesaid happy Islands Moluccae sir Humphrey Gilbert a learned and valiant knight discourseth of at large in his new passage to Cathayo.  The enterprise of itselfe being vertuous, the fact must doubtlesse deserue high praise, and whensoeuer it shal be finished, the fruits thereof cannot be smal:  where vertue is guide, there is fame a follower, and fortune a companion.  But the way is dangerous, the passage doubtfull, the voiage not throughly knowen, and therefore gainesaid by many, after this maner.

[Sidenote:  Ob. 1.] First, who can assure vs of any passage rather by the Northwest then by the Northeast? do not both waves lye in equall distance from the North Pole?  Stand not the North Capes of eyther continent vnder like eleuation?  Is not the Ocean sea beyond America farther distant from our Meridian by 30. or 40. degrees West, then the extreame poyntes of Cathayo Eastward, if Ortelius generall Carde of the world be true:  [Sidenote:  In Theatro.] In the Northeast that noble Knight Syr Hugh Willoughbie perished for colde:  and can you then promise a passenger any better happe by the Northwest?  Who hath gone for triall sake at any time this way out of Europe to Cathayo?

[Sidenote:  Ob. 2.] If you seeke the aduise herein of such as make profession in Cosmographie, Ptolome the father of Geographie, and his eldest children, will answere by their mappes with a negatiue, concluding most of the Sea within the land, and making an end of the world Northward, neere the 63. degree.  The same opinion, when learning chiefly florished, was receiued in the Romanes time, as by their Poets writings it may appeare:  tibi seruiat vltima Thyle, said Virgil, being of opinion, that Island was the extreme part of the world habitable toward the North.  Ioseph Moletius an Italian, and Mercator a Germaine, for knowledge men able to be compared with the best Geographers of our time, the one in his halfe Spheres of the whole world, the other in some of his great globes, haue continued the West Indies land, euen to the North Pole, and consequently, cut off all passage by sea that way.

The same doctors, Mercator in other of his globes and mappes, Moletius in his sea Carde, neuerthelesse doubting of so great continuance of the former continent, haue opened a gulfe betwixt the West Indies and the extreame Northerne land:  but such a one, that either is not to be trauelled for the causes in the first obiection alledged, or cleane shut vp from vs in Europe by Groenland:  the South ende whereof Moletius maketh firme land with America, the North part continent with Lappeland and Norway.